


Begin Again

by dudeandduchess



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Anger Management, Angst, Badass Reader, Bathroom Sex, Blowjobs, Bondage, Canon-Typical Violence, Cum Swallowing, Dom/sub Play, Engagement, Explicit Language, F/M, Family Drama, Family Issues, Family Secrets, Fluff, Fondling, Gen, Impregnation, Marriage, Oral Sex, Relationship Issues, Romance, Secret Marriage, Secret Relationship, Smut, Supportive Levi, Teasing, Vaginal Fingering, facesitting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-26
Updated: 2019-10-18
Packaged: 2020-07-20 10:27:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 41
Words: 91,408
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19990621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dudeandduchess/pseuds/dudeandduchess
Summary: The last thing on her mind was seeing him again, but a stroke of fate brought Levi to her once more. Even though a year had passed since he left her, her feelings were still as strong as the day they first met— though muddled with her own new feelings of anger and resentment towards him, her love for him was still there.Levi wants her back, and he's prepared to do anything to make things right with her— even though a part of him kept telling him that it would be unwise to let her love him again, he knew that he was too selfish a man to keep on living without her.But with the constant truths of her lineage slowly unraveling, they’re faced with no other choice than to try and get things to go their way or end up dying. With so many shadows lurking in the dark, would it really be possible to get the peaceful future that (Y/n) and Levi want?





	1. Chapter 1

“You’re deluded if you think that this is **not** exile, mother.” The scathing remark left red-painted lips without any conviction. Cold, almost glacial, blue irises narrowed in irritation as they regarded the petite, brunette lady in front of their beholder. “We live in luxury, but it doesn’t change the fact that we’re **in-hiding**.”

“(Y/n),” the woman’s mother tried to soothe in a patient tone. Still, even with the coolness in her voice, her own eyes radiated the anger that she felt at her daughter’s blatant disrespect. “Would you rather keep living in oppression over **there** — with all those bastards wanting you dead— or would you rather keep living here? As a doctor, with all of your wants and needs served to you on a silver platter?”

Unconsciously, the younger woman’s grip on her glass of water tightened. Her jaw clenched as she kept her temper in check, until her mother’s next words made her lash out.

“Your father and brothers only want to protect us.”

The younger woman got up abruptly, which caused her chair to fall back with the force that she had done so. She hurled the half-empty glass of water across the dining room, before proceeding to glare at the only other person in the room— save for Brigitte, the only housekeeper that they could take with them from Marley. “What about them, then? All of those low-life bastards want us dead. **ALL OF US**! For what? Sympathizing with a brainwashed populace?

“The only reason we aren’t dead is that they think that the fucking titans will eat us first; that’s why they hadn’t bothered to send any men over to Paradis.” Undeterred with her tirade, (Y/n) continued angrily, “But what about father? Alexei? Kristof? We haven’t heard from them in **weeks**. Who’s to say that they haven’t been publicly beheaded in that time?”

“They’re alive and well, (Y/n). Silence is good, it means that they’re not writing to say goodbye or anything of the sort. They’re being watched very closely after our supposed relocation to the countryside, but I know that they’re alive and well. You are **not** to contact them in any way.”

“You’re bat-shit crazy! Then again, I’m the only sane one in this family!” With that, (Y/n) leveled her glare at her calm and collected mother once more, before marching out of the dining room with as much grace as she could muster with her raging temper flaring.

Yuliana sighed deeply, her shoulders sagging in defeat as she rubbed her temples in an effort to tame her migraine. “She’s still quite the handful, isn’t she Brigitte? I could only hope that a lover will mellow her out in time.”

The blonde housekeeper moved from her post at one corner of the room, before proceeding to clean up the shards of glass with well-practiced motions. Her young mistress’s outbursts were commonplace in the house when she visited, and after twenty-eight years of being the (L/n) family’s housekeeper, Brigitte was used to it. “Lady (Y/n) is still adamant about not having a lover after the last man cried during one of her tirades, m’lady.”

An unladylike huff left the matriarch’s mouth, just as a sardonic smile played at her lips. “It’s so hard to believe that she wasn’t raised by thugs with that gruff attitude of hers.” She paused for a brief while, until saying, “Should I arrange a marriage for her, Brigitte?”

***

“Would you like me to clean your room, m’lady?” (Y/n)’s housekeeper for the duration of her exile to Paradis— a slightly older, orange-haired female named Greta— asked in her usual chirpy manner. “I’m already done with your clinic, as well as the entire house.”

“No, Greta, I’ll do it,” (Y/n) grumbled as she walked up the stairs of her home in the toe-pinching shoes that Greta had laid out for her earlier. The brunette seemed to remember her manners and offered the other woman a tight, forced smile. “Thank you for offering.”

The sight that greeted (Y/n) when she pushed her door open had her internally grumbling. Her room was, safe to say, a cluttered mess. There wasn’t any disgusting paraphernalia strewn about, but her things were scattered in a disorganized mess. It was unbecoming of a woman of her status; let alone a woman with her profession.

She blatantly ignored the mess and proceeded to strip off her clothes, in favor of having a long shower to wash the events of day away.

After (Y/n) was done, she quickly dried herself and slipped on her nightgown. It was still a few hours away from bedtime, but she wanted to be as comfortable as possible while she laid in bed. She brushed her hair and left it loose to dry, then went back into her adjoining bathroom to wash her feet and hands.

Blue eyes looked down intently at her sun-kissed skin, regarding all the faint and miniscule scars that littered the backs of her hands. They had always been one source of her insecurity when she was younger, but she couldn’t give a flying fuck about what some people said about them now. Even as she rinsed her hands under the running water, she looked down once more at her recently-washed feet and turned the faucet off.

Slowly, as if not to step on anything in the immaculately clean bathroom, (Y/n) made her way back to the bath tub and proceeded to wash her feet a second time. She moved out of the tub and stepped on the clean mat that she had laid on the floor before her bath, then proceeded to tiptoe over to her bed.

As much as her older brothers teased her for her obsessive compulsions, she kept doing them because— for the life of her— she couldn’t relax whenever she knew that she hadn’t washed her hands and feet before laying down in bed. It was so at-odds with the clutter in her room, but she rather preferred to keep **herself** immaculately clean.

It didn’t take long for her eyes to droop and eventually fall closed for a nap. 

“Lady (Y/n),” Greta’s frantic voice woke the brunette from her dreamless sleep. Another call of her name, then it was followed by frantic knocks on her door. “Forgive me, my lady, but there’s someone downstairs in need of urgent medical attention.”

That fully woke (Y/n), and she wasted no time in getting out of her bed and rushing down the stairs. She didn’t even bother to put on a robe to cover her, as her modesty was the last thing on her mind at that moment.

Greta followed her, spouting vital signs and other basic information until one sentence piqued the brunette’s interest: “They’re from the Survey Corps, as far as I can tell.”

Living in Wall Sina, she never really saw the brigade much, but she was told by her father to implicitly trust that specific branch of Eldia’s military, for they would someday help in killing off those who wanted their family dead. She didn’t know the full extent of how her father came to trust the Survey Corps’ current commander, as she was put on a need-to-know basis, but the main reason for the alliance was because the commander had offered her and her mother protection while on Paradis.

The come-uppance that her father had agreed to, she had no idea. Part of her wanted to find out, but a much more rational part of her kept screaming at her that playing at ignorance would be best if she ever got caught by her family’s enemies. Death would still be imminent, but it would be quicker.

Besides, it would be too soon if she ever saw that man again.

Blue irises met cold, grey ones and it was as if (Y/n)’s entire body froze over and burned up at the same time. Distant memories of heated kisses, haphazardly bunched skirts, and immensely mind-blowing sex played in her mind’s eye— all starring the man sitting in her living room with a swollen ankle. “Long time no see, Levi. Get out.”

Everyone’s eyes widened at the underlying hostility in her even tone, yet she paid them no mind as she met her past lover’s glare head on. He scoffed at her, which made her blood boil with barely-restrained anger. “I would if I could fucking walk. You were always hard of hearing, but has your eyesight gone bad as well?”

“Still as uncouth as always, huh?”

Levi scoffed once more, not once taking his eyes off of hers. “That’s rich coming from you, princess.”

His words had hit a nerve in (Y/n), because she visibly flinched before forcing some semblance of nonchalance into her posture. She looked more relaxed than she had initially, but her stance was still rigid at best; and even though she wanted nothing more than to march over to Levi and slap the living daylights out of him, a much smaller— and much quieter voice— beckoned her to hold him tight and never let him go again.

No one dared to break the tense silence, but it was apparent that everyone who weren’t (Y/n) or Levi were wondering what exactly was transpiring— and had transpired— between the hostile couple. Their eyes darted to and from the pair in the hopes of getting more clues, to no avail.

“Why does it always have to be your left ankle, Levi?”

Levi’s lips narrowed in contempt and mild embarrassment— but it would be naught before he would ever admit to that. Still, it didn’t change the fact that her mere words could bring him down more than a couple of pegs; all with minimal effort on her part. “Because, unlike you, I have to work, (Y/n).”

Her name rolling off of the captain’s tongue sent his entire body alight with a subtle warmth of familiarity and, dare he say it, affection. It had been years since he had last uttered her name, yet the power it still had over him made him consider slapping himself for feeling like such a lovesick fool.

Because, once upon a time, he **was** a lovesick fool. Emphasis on the fool— because he had singlehandedly managed to destroy the one good thing that happened to him after joining the Survey Corps.

“I do work, Levi; the proof of that is on the placard outside.” (Y/n) practically spat at the raven-haired man.

“You mean the gold-plated one that you asked your mother to buy for you?” It was a low blow, even for him, but he just **had** to get some control over his own befuddled feelings. Her proximity alone was sending his heart into a frantic pace that was making him short of breath; he didn’t even want to get started on how seeing her in one of her seemingly-innocent nightgowns made him so needy for her touch.

Silence followed that barbed comment, and it made Levi feel guilty. He didn’t feel guilt much, but when he did, it was almost always because of her. She brought him down to earth and kept him grounded; and he was a dumbass prick for pushing her away.

“Hand me my kit for this, Greta,” (Y/n) uttered quietly as she sank down on her knees in front of Levi. All of the scouts surrounding the raven-haired captain stepped back to give her room, and she offered them a tight smile in gratitude.

The motion sent Levi’s mind spiraling through his treasured memories of their countless nights together, but he forced his expression to stay flat even though his body was buzzing with an undercurrent of longing for her. Dare he say it… he **missed** her.

Another bout of tense silence engulfed the room, as the soldiers all traded wary glances as the brunette doctor set to work by removing Levi’s left shoe with as much care as she could muster. Her face was tight with barely-concealed anger, but her fingers were very gentle as they flitted over her ex-lover’s ankle— checking this or that, after rolling his pant-leg up very neatly.

It seemed like years before Greta came back to the living room with a leather doctor’s bag in one hand, and a silk robe slung over the other arm. She set the bag down beside her mistress and carefully draped the robe over her shoulders.

Not once did (Y/n) look up from working on Levi’s ankle; not even when the scouts thanked her while they were being ushered to the kitchen by Greta. It was rude of her to do so, but it was better than letting them see the tears forming in her eyes.

Levi usually liked peace and quiet, but this kind of quiet was another thing entirely. It was thick and suffocating, as if it was stepping down on his chest and constricting around his heart. He wanted to reach out and run his fingers through those rich, brown locks that he had grown fond of, but he held himself back…

Because he was just going to want more of what he couldn’t have again.

The pair stayed silent as (Y/n) patched the captain up and, once she was done, she sat back on her haunches and carefully set his bandaged foot down on the hardwood floor. She tried to fight back the onslaught of tears that she had kept pushing back since Levi’s earlier barb, but one tear escaped; which she hastily wiped away.

“Look at me,” Levi whispered gruffly; in an almost pleading manner that tugged at his ex-lover’s heartstrings. Still, she refused to give in to him.

However, the raven-haired man was having none of her defiance, because he pushed himself to sit on at the edge of the couch— even though his ankle all-but screamed at him— and tipped her head back by holding her face by her chin. “I said look at me, damn it.”

(Y/n)’s blue eyes were glazed over with unshed tears, but her irises were clear in showing their anger towards him. Her brows were furrowed in frustration, and her lips were pursed into a thin line; it didn’t take a genius to figure out that she was very close to breaking down.

Still, to Levi, she still looked as beautiful as she did when they first met. So, he leaned down and captured those sinful lips of hers in a long-overdue kiss.

She didn’t respond at first, but when she did, it was as if her mind regained its clarity and made her push away from him. Levi knew that she was about to slap him, and he could have dodged it effortlessly, but he stayed put and **let** her; he deserved it, after acting like that with her.

“Never touch me again.” Abruptly, (Y/n) got up from her place on the floor and glared down at him. “You lost that right long ago, Levi.”

She didn’t even turn back for her robe as it fluttered to the ground at the Corporal’s feet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! I know, I know, I still have so many WIPs that I need to finish but, I'm sort of taking a 'sabbatical' from writing those— since I have hit a major writer's block with those stories. I know what my end point is for those fics, but I'm having a difficult time getting to the end point that I want.
> 
> But here's a story that's been on my mind ever since I sat down and finally made it through one episode of SnK without feeling queasy. Initially, I thought that Levi was the main character for the anime, but it appears that he isn't. >:D
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy this. I'm always open for comments and suggestions. <3


	2. Chapter 2

Days had passed since that fateful night when Levi reappeared in (Y/n)’s life, yet it still felt like it had only happened hours ago to the woman concerned. Her heart still raced at the memory of the feel of his lips on hers, and her body still tingled at the recollection of how he made her body sing in pleasure way before that night. She was a right mess, if she were to be honest.

“We need to get some flour for the muffins, Greta,” (Y/n) stated softly as she dodged another child running in the streets. She clutched her grocery bag tighter to her chest, and stopped to look back at her maid.

“Yes, lady (Y/n),” Greta answered chirpily. “We’re out of tea, though; the ones that you always use for the corporal’s muffins.” She bit her tongue at the gaffe, and slowly looked into her mistress’ eyes.

Thankfully, (Y/n) was in an indulgent mood, so she let the comment slide. “They are **not** Levi’s muffins. _Pft_. As if I would make **anything** for him.” 

“I hear that apples are really expensive around this time of the year,” the orange-haired lady hinted with a small smile playing at her lips. In any other instance, she never would have brought it up— since she knew that her mistress’ family could eat off of solid gold plates if they so wished— but she was trying to hint at the basket of (Y/n)’s favorite fruit that had arrived the morning after she patched up the raven-haired corporal. It wasn’t a coincidence that it appeared at that moment.  
  
It was the reason why they were out and about at the market; they were trying to gather ingredients to make the one pastry that Levi liked to indulge in when he and (Y/n) were still together. Though, (Y/n) was adamant about not making them because of the corporal. 

Being a lady of her status, (Y/n) was taught to do all kinds of things to become a proper lady of the house— and that skillset included cooking and baking, which was why she had the capability to make a recipe for her ex-lover. The muffin recipe was a simple one, but it used jasmine tea in the mix, and was topped off with apple streusel to add a bit of sweetness to the admittedly bland bread.

She had made it to get him to consume something other than tea while working, and it had worked like a charm.

(Y/n) rolled her eyes at that, then proceeded to walk off towards the sole tea shop within the village. Part of her wanted to just send Greta to get the tea leaves, but another—more masochistic— part of her wanted to get the chance to see Levi again. He was staying at the palace while he was within Wall Sina, which was why she had factored in the fact that he would not want for anything; thus having no reason to venture out to the tea shop. But, then again, it was **Levi** — he could and would go out to get his own tea, if permitted.

The shop was alight with people, yet very few of them were shopping for tea. Almost all of them were crowding around her poor Levi; even his glare couldn’t ward off his flock of admirers. (Y/n) had half the mind to just leave him to suffer, but the moment that their eyes met through the crowd, she knew that she couldn’t leave him to that fate.

And so, she strode forward with as much poise and grace as she could muster in her heeled boots, and the steady clacking of her shoes against the hardwood floor had the people swerving their heads around to look for the source of the obnoxious noise. Looks of surprise and mild fear crossed the faces of Levi’s admirers, yet the same couldn’t be said for the man himself; the obnoxious noise was bringing him back to that night when she had blindfolded him and proceeded to fuck him until his throat was hoarse after constantly screaming out her name.

Levi’s eyes were dilated with lust, and the only telltale sign of his need was the subtle pursing of his lips after his tongue had swiped over his suddenly-dry lips. In his need to protect her from hurting in case he died during an expedition, he had pushed away the greatest woman that he had ever had.

The only woman he’d ever loved.

“Ladies.” Her voice was like a whip that was aimed at the sea of women that had parted to make a path towards Levi. (Y/n)’s eyes flitted over all of them as if it was beneath her to be talking to people of lower status, and most of them had enough shame to look down at their feet. It didn’t even matter that she was shorter than most of the females surrounding her. “How classless it is to be pushing your affections towards a clearly **uninterested** man.”

No one dared to speak, no one even dared to make any sudden movements, as (Y/n) made her way towards Levi— the click-clacking of her heels against the floor still ringing crisp in the air. “Our dear corporal cares very little for relationships. His heart belongs to the cause, and the cause alone. Unfortunately.”

The brunette offered Levi a tight smile, before pivoting on her heel and sauntering towards the shopkeeper as if nothing had happened; as if she hadn’t just managed to shame both the flock of women as well as Levi in one fell swoop.

One by one, the women apologized to Levi before making their leave; yet his attention was solely focused on (Y/n) as she ordered Jasmine Tea from the elderly clerk. The corporal marched over to his ex-lover, then turned her to face him with a tight grip on her elbow.

“I thought I told you to never touch me again, Levi,” (Y/n) drawled coolly as she shook his grip off of her. He wanted nothing more than to pull her close to him and ravage that pretty mouth of hers, but it seemed that she had no such plans to reciprocate. “Then again, you were always a stubborn bastard.”

“Here’s your tea, Lady (L/n),” the clerk offered with a jovial smile that (Y/n) returned. “I hope to see you again soon. Your last visit had been a year ago.”

“I apologize, Klaus; there simply hasn’t been any need to return. I ran out of tea just yesterday,” (Y/n) answered with a more subdued smile, before taking her leave. Just like that night, she never once turned back to look at Levi.

***

(Y/n)’s heart was still pounding erratically in her chest, even as she sipped the excess tea that she had brewed for the muffins. Her mind kept flitting back to Levi and how handsome he looked in his military regalia that it sent butterflies to mess about within her stomach. She had almost forgotten just how handsome he really was, after a year of not seeing each other.

With a sigh, she pushed off the chair that she had been lounging in, then set to get the freshly baked muffins from the oven.

***

Meanwhile, the raven-haired corporal was in as much the same predicament as his ex-lover was. Though, instead of drinking tea to alleviate his stress, he was listening to Erwin drone on and on about his plans for the next expedition. The commander wanted to take back _Shiganshina_ , and it appeared that there was no stopping him 

Levi didn’t even know that the meeting was over until his squad had popped into the meeting room to get him to supervise their late-afternoon training session.

“You seem distracted, _heichou_ ,” Eren began hesitantly as he came down from the rooftops. The rest of their squad then chose that time to follow suit, and stood in a semi-circle around Levi as they waited for his answer.

Levi’s eyes narrowed in a glare at Eren, and the younger man flinched at the intensity of it. The captain was about to speak, when Mikasa beat him to it, “Does it have to do with that woman?”

Everyone turned to look at Mikasa with wide eyes, and all of them wanted to hit her for blatantly pointing out the obvious; not that they would win against her. And, as they expected, Levi scoffed at them before walking away. “Mind your own business, brats.”

They had hit the proverbial nail on the head, but Levi would **never** admit that to them. He **had** been distracted ever since he saw (Y/n) again but, he was only human; he could have his own off days. Though, he was feeling more than off because of her; it was as if she had taken his world and tilted it on its axis.

Hell, she even made him send over a basket of her favorite apples. It had cost him more than he wanted to spend, but he deemed it worth the price when he pieced together the fact that she was making his favorite muffins.

“Captain Levi, sir,” a footman called after the stoic man as he traversed the halls to his room. Levi stopped in his tracks and turned towards the other man— who was carrying a wicker basket laden with those familiar muffins.

“Captain, we’re sorry for being-” Eren called out in the cavernous hall, only to freeze in place when their eyes landed on their captain practically dashing towards the footman. The raven-haired man took the wicker basket for himself, then fished out a regal-looking envelope from the pile of bread.

“Who brought this?” Levi asked the terrified footman; not once looking up from the familiar wax seal of her initials. “Was it Lady (Y/n) herself?”

“I- well, no, sir. It was her footman— Hans.”

“ _Tch_. That woman.” With that, he turned on his good heel and resumed his trek back to his room only, this time, more in a rush so he could read what was written in the letter. He didn’t even care that his sprained ankle was throbbing in pain; all that was on his mind was reading the letter from (Y/n).

Based on the Levi squad members’ expressions alone, save for Mikasa, it was as if they had seen a ghost. Then again, seeing the small smile on their captain’s face was akin to such a scary experience. It looked so out of place on his normally-stoic features that they thought his face was going to crack with all the pressure, yet it never happened.

“Were those from the doctor in town?” Jean asked the footman, not bothering to hide his curiosity at the sake of prying into his captain’s personal life.

The footman nodded. “Yes, from the young Lady (L/n).”

“So she’s a noble?” Sasha piped up to confirm their suspicion from the first time they met the brunette. It was painfully obvious from the way she moved that she was brought up in refinement, yet they didn’t want to believe it at first, since it was their captain that had been involved with the woman. Everyone who knew him would know that a noble woman would be the last person that he fancied.

Then again, he didn’t really talk about his personal life, so they didn’t have a clue as to what his type of woman was.

“Yes, a good friend of the Reiss family, even. They were in hiding within wall Rose until six years ago. I believe that Lady (Y/n) and the corporal had been lovers since they had come out of hiding; it was not an unusual sight to see them out in the town, or together at parties— though the sightings of them in public were very far and few in-between, so no one could really confirm the status of their relationship.”

“He seemed really happy to have gotten something from her, so I think that it’s safe to say that they’re lovers,” Armin mused aloud, once more looking down the corridor where their captain had vanished.

“Ah, I ask you not to share such information around, Lady (Y/n) is a lady within her own right, but she’s better known for her temper. She is kind and just, until you do something to displease her.” The footman stated sheepishly, then added, “I hear that she’s the one who’s going to be teaching Princess Historia her etiquette classes, so you’ll see more of her in the palace.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The going is slow at the moment, but there will be more interaction between the Reader and Levi in the next one. I swear. ;)
> 
> Thank you so, so much for all the feedback! Your kudos and comments are very much appreciated. If I were more shameless, I would keep asking for them. *hint hint* <3


	3. Chapter 3

The silence at the breakfast table was so deafening that the scouts had to check their own ears if **they** were the ones having problems, and not the people dining with them. Everyone looked at each other before discreetly turning their gazes over to their surprise guest— (Y/n) (L/n), who was accompanied by two maids in identical uniforms.

She ate with such poise that it shamed all the scouts into behaving for breakfast, which made Levi scoff right before he took a sip of his customary tea.

“Putting pressure on your ankle isn’t recommended, Levi,” (Y/n) stated matter-of-factly after she had set her utensils on her plate in a four o’clock position, and had dabbed her lips clean of the nonexistent remnants of her over-easy eggs. “Were you excited to see me?”

“ _Tch_ ,” was Levi’s only reply, before he pushed himself up from his seat and exited the room with a slight limp.

The scouts all looked at each other with wide eyes before going back to their breakfast as quietly as they had seen (Y/n) do so. That was until she let out the most enchanting giggle that they had ever heard. It was like a peal of soothing wind chimes. “You lot don’t have to act so proper around me. I’m not one to judge.”

At that, all of the soldiers’ shoulders sagged in a more relaxed state, and all of them proceeded to finish off their meal, until, “Except you, Your Highness.”

All eyes turned towards Historia—sat at the head of the table— who straightened her spine and squared her shoulders as she resumed her meal.

***

“Here, try to balance these on your head,” (Y/n) ordered gently as Greta and Brigitte placed four books atop the future queen’s head. She struggled to balance all of them, until she found her center and could stand up without having anything topple over. “And now, follow me.”

With that, the brunette sashayed forward— out of the room and down the well-lit hallway— with a tall stack of books balanced on her head. “Keep your chin up, shoulders back, and put all of your weight on the balls of your feet. Try to use your heel first when you step forward, and then transfer all the weight to your toes— then repeat the process." 

“I know that you’re a noble, but how come you know so much about the monarchy? Even how much the crown weighs,” Historia asked quietly, all the while still struggling to keep up with her mentor’s gait. (Y/n) was making it seem effortless.

(Y/n) made Historia even more conscious about her own movements when she twirled around and smiled at the blonde. It was making the future queen doubt the accuracy of her friends’ information about this woman and her former captain being lovers; they were just too different.

“Forgive me, Your Highness, but I was merely assuming; though, it isn’t baseless at all,” (Y/n) explained gently, then proceeded to walk backwards; after all, it was rude to turn your back on someone of higher rank. “My family has a coming-of-age party that we hold for those who turn eighteen, and during that party, we are given a tiara of our own. I merely multiplied the weight of the tiara to what I assume the crown weighs.”

“No, it’s alright. I was just curious. I apologize.”

A grin tugged at the corners of (Y/n)’s lips. A good memory from her lengthy relationship with Levi surfaced in her mind. “You know, someone once told me that a lady should never apologize for wanting to know more.”

“Was it Captain Levi?” Historia grabbed the opportunity to ask with both hands, and the question made (Y/n) falter for a moment— which caused both Greta and Brigitte to exchange subdued, knowing smiles.

(Y/n) tried to cover up her slip-up with a light laugh, until the heel of her shoe got caught on the plush carpet. She came toppling down on the padded surface with a quiet thud, which was followed by the sound of her stack of books falling around her.

Even after all those years, the very mention of the man was enough to discombobulate (Y/n) at the most inopportune moments. Her voice was thick as she was helped up by her maids, “I apologize, Your Highness. That was careless of me.”

“Are you alright?”

“I’ve dealt with worse.” The brunette smiled, then added mentally, _‘Like getting my heart broken by a man that I’d been in a relationship with for five years.’_

Levi’s cold words from that day still echoed clearly in (Y/n)’s mind; and it still hurt her as much as the moment he uttered them.

_“I don’t have time for a relationship, (Y/n). My priority is the Survey Corps; it always has been.”_

And she could also remember her own anguished reply. _“Five years, Levi. Five fucking years! Was I only a convenient way to warm you up at night?”_

The captain never replied, which the brunette took as her chance to air out her grievances. _“I fucking **loved** you, Levi! You’re such a damn heartless bastard! I never want to see you again. Leave! Go!”_

Before (Y/n) knew it, warm tears were rolling down her cheeks and staining the neckline of the navy blue dress that she wore. Hurriedly, she wiped them away and excused herself before rushing down the hall. Anywhere else was better than being in plain sight of the future queen, or anyone else.

***

“You’re going to get sick if you eat that much.” The familiar voice made (Y/n)’s shoulders sag even more, as she tried to wipe away more of her incessant tears. “I don’t want you throwing up in here.”

The brunette didn’t validate that statement with an answer, instead she picked up another slice of melon with her fork and popped it into her mouth. It tasted bland with all the salty tears and mucus, but she couldn’t care less; it was abating the emptiness inside her and that was what was important to her.

“ _Oi_ ,” Levi snapped irately as he encircled his hand around his ex-lover’s wrist. Her blue eyes darted up to glare at him, but he merely returned her gaze head-on. The dried tear tracks on her cheeks twisted his heart because, deep down, he knew that he was the cause of her pain; just like his own stupidity was the cause of his. “ **You’re going to get sick**.”

“Why do **you** care?” (Y/n) hissed at him, then snatched her wrist back. “You shouldn’t concern yourself with the likes of me, Corporal. After all, I’m no one significant to you.”

“I never said that.” Grey eyes narrowed dangerously as Levi’s temper flared at the insult.

(Y/n) merely scoffed before proceeding to clean up after herself. More tears rolled down her face, but she paid them no mind as she placed her empty bowl and fork in the sink. “It was implied.”

“You always read too much into things.”

“Was I supposed to believe that you loved me, too?”

Levi remained quiet, as he gritted his teeth and averted his gaze from (Y/n). It wasn’t that he was ashamed of his feelings for her but, rather, he didn’t want her to cling on to any form of hope that he would be able to give her the life that she deserved; a husband, children, and a nice house in the countryside.

A humorless laugh passed those tempting lips of hers. “Not once did I regret loving you, Levi; not until I saw you again after you left me.”

That seemed to have snapped something inside Levi, because he turned the full force of his glare at (Y/n), before crowding her back towards the counter; effectively preventing her from escaping. He raised his hands up and clutched the edges of the marble top tightly, before lowering his face so that their noses barely brushed against each other’s.

“Don’t fucking say that you regret loving me,” Levi muttered gruffly, before adding mentally, _Please_.

It was the last thing that he clung onto to keep him sane outside the walls, and having her take that away from him hurt worse than losing all of his friends and comrades. Her taking that away from him was akin to her taking away the sun in Levi’s world; and that was evident to the man himself with the way that his heart actually faltered in his chest.

One moment he was holding himself back from feeling her lips on his, and the next he was holding her roughly against him in a needy kiss. (Y/n)’s actions were so at-odds with her words, because she was reciprocating the heat in Levi’s motions; she was responding to his kisses fervently, and she was clinging on to him as if he was the only person that mattered to her.

It was enough for Levi to feel a heady sense of accomplishment inside him. It still wasn’t enough for him, but it was something; it was more than nothing.

Levi let his hands drift down from (Y/n)’s waist to the underside of her thighs, where he proceeded to bunch up her skirts and slip his hands over the silky fabric of her stockings. He felt himself getting harder at the mere feel of garter belts stretching over her smooth skin, and he took the opportune moment to grind his steadily growing erection against her core.

He knew that it was unbecoming of a lady like her to be in such a situation, but he didn’t care then— and he sure as hell didn’t care now. All that he could focus on at the moment was the heady feeling of (Y/n)’s hot breath fanning against his cheek as he moved down to litter her neck with love bites.

“Levi,” (Y/n) moaned aloud; the most sinful moan that Levi had ever heard in his life. He missed hearing her coming undone beneath him.

“Sasha, no!” Connie’s frantic whisper reached the Corporal’s ears, and he hurriedly let go of (Y/n). Her skirts pooled once more at her ankles, and he was a tad disappointed to have her hidden from his sight again.

Letting down his guard was such a rookie mistake but, in Levi’s defense, he was too caught up in (Y/n) to pay any attention to any eavesdroppers. To compensate for getting caught by his squad, though, he narrowed his eyes at the doorway where they all stood behind, and beckoned them inside the kitchen. 

The scouts all filed in with their heads hung low, and consecutively groaned when Levi passed his punishment on to them, “A month of cleaning duty for all of you when we get back.”

(Y/n) had to hold herself back from touching Levi, as he looked like the embodiment of authority at that moment. Maybe there was just something about men in uniform, or maybe it was just Levi’s natural charm, she wasn’t sure what drew her in more.

All she was sure of at that moment was that she was going to get fucked; emotionally and physically.

***

“Do we really have to go there? We just went there a few days ago,” (Y/n) wasn’t in the habit of making herself sound like a petulant child but, in the rare instances that she devolved to such mannerisms, it was all because her mother was concerned. 

It wasn’t that she didn’t love her mother, no; she loved her mother very much, it was just that they didn’t see eye-to-eye on **anything**. They constantly butted heads, and that had always been the case in all of (Y/n)’s twenty-eight years of life.

“My lady, forgive me, but I think that your mother should be the least of your concerns right now,” Greta began with a slightly teasing lilt in her tone. (Y/n) narrowed her eyes at her maid, yet said nothing. “I heard from a couple of scouts that something had transpired between a certain Corporal and a certain member of nobility; in the kitchen, no less.”

A blush stole up to the brunette’s cheeks, and she tried her best to ignore the butterflies fluttering around inside her stomach. “It would do you well to mind your own business, Greta.”

“But everything that concerns you, my lady, is my business.” Greta smiled, and (Y/n) had no comeback for that; opting instead to remain quiet during the carriage ride to her mother’s estate.


	4. Chapter 4

The glistening lights of the manor weren’t an unusual sight that welcomed (Y/n) when she went to visit her mother; however, the excessive use of candles to light the lamp posts leading to the house was overkill. Not only was it wasteful, it was highly unnecessary.

“Why am I getting a bad feeling about this?” (Y/n) muttered to herself as the carriage drew to a stop. Brigitte and Greta immediately stepped out of the vehicle and assisted the young (L/n) down. “Do you know anything about this, Brigitte?”

The blonde averted her gaze, but nodded. “Your mother means well, Lady (Y/n).”

“Fuck this,” (Y/n) snapped and was about to climb back into the carriage when the front door opened.

Lo and behold, there stood her mother in all her gracefully-aged glory. She had a smug glint in her blue eyes, as a small smile played at her lips. “Come in, (Y/n). It’s not very ladylike to keep a guest waiting.”

 _Guest?_ The brunette asked herself frantically. Her mind raced through all of the scheduled parties that she was required to attend, but none of the dates were supposed to be for today. She didn’t know whether to scream in frustration or congratulate her mother on a game well-played. 

Yuliana’s insistence for (Y/n) to bring Brigitte with her wasn’t purposeless after all. The (L/n) matriarch had offered her maid’s assistance so that her daughter would be forced to drop her off at her estate— no matter what. Sometimes her mother’s cunning mind amazed her; but most of the time it just made her angry.

(Y/n) gritted her teeth in irritation as she stomped up the steps of the expansive house. Her mother paid her sour attitude no mind as she kissed her daughter’s cheek, before pulling her in the warm confines of the manor— then proceeding to drag her by her arm towards the living room. 

The sight of familiar blond hair that greeted (Y/n) made her curtsy. It was only polite to show such courtesy to the commander of the Survey Corps. “Commander Smith, it’s a pleasure to see you, but may I know what this visit is about?” 

“Ah, straight to the point— as always— Lady (Y/n).” Erwin chuckled. “But I think that your mother will be much more suited to explain things to you.”

The older (L/n) didn’t even wait for everyone to sit down to break the news to her daughter. “You’ve been of age to marry since ten years ago-” 

Yuliana couldn’t speak further than that, as her daughter whirled towards her in an angry flurry of skirts before adamantly shaking her head. “ **No**. Absolutely fucking not. You have got to be more touched in the head than I thought if you think that I’m going to marry someone out of convenience.” 

“You’ve made all your past suitors **cry** , (Y/n). I, for one, think that this is the best choice for you.”

(Y/n) scoffed, then turned towards Erwin. “I apologize, Commander, but whatever deal my mother has made with you… just, **no**.”

“Just listen, (Y/n),” Erwin tried to reason out in an authoritative yet calm tone. It managed to hold back the storm brewing inside the brunette, but it didn’t calm the emotional mess that it was making in her heart. All that she could think about was Levi; that kiss with him earlier, his hands bringing her to the stars, his lips so warm and sensual against her skin… his cold hand reaching out for her back then… the steady beat of his heart beneath her cheek when they laid together at night. 

In the span of a short couple of minutes, (Y/n)’s five-year relationship with the Corporal played in her mind. Some memories hurt more than others, but the happiness from that time with him outweighed all the heaviness in her chest. She felt suffocated and breathless even though her chest rose and fell in an even pattern; her inner turmoil was so at-odds with what she was showing on the surface that it made her want to scream.

“I’m not in love with you!” (Y/n) cried helplessly as she stared wide-eyed at the blond commander.

Anger bubbled up within the brunette as she saw the hint of a smile that played at Erwin’s lips, yet she tamped down the urge to punch him. She had a bad temper, but she wasn’t dumb enough to try and take a swing at the freaking **commander of the Survey Corps**. One-armed or not, she didn’t doubt that Erwin Smith could break each and every one of her bones if he wanted to. “Well, in any other case I would be offended, but that’s a relief. That would make this arrangement awkward.”

Completely incensed, (Y/n) turned towards her mother once more and glared at the older woman who was trying to hold back a smile of her own. “I do not appreciate being the brunt of the joke, mother. What the fuck is this about if not you arranging a fucking marriage?”

“This is why you should always let people finish, dear.” Yuliana smiled gently at her daughter. “As I was saying earlier, you’re old enough to get married— which means you’re old enough to do what you’ve always set out to do. I doubt that merely patching up rich nobles who have stubbed their toes was your calling when you were younger.” 

It didn’t take long for (Y/n) to put all the pieces together and, slowly, shame filled her as she glared down at the coffee table. Her shoulders sagging was akin to a kite losing the wind propelling it upward. She couldn’t even look up into Erwin’s eyes; instead, she focused on those voluptuous eyebrows of his. “I think I’ve made enough of a fool of myself tonight. May we continue this discussion some other day?”

Surprisingly, Erwin chuckled. “Would tomorrow afternoon suffice? Since you’ll be teaching Princess Historia her etiquette lessons, it would be convenient to just discuss the stipulations of the contract at the palace.”

***

“Joining the Survey Corps as their doctor?” (Y/n) asked, almost frantic, as she flitted about her room and tidied up with Greta. It was four in the morning and the brunette couldn’t manage to force herself to get anymore sleep. 

In a sense, she was **excited** to finally be given the chance to do what she’d always sought out to do when she decided to become a doctor. She wanted to help the soldiers that she’d heard her brothers say were risking their lives to ‘free humanity’ from the titans. It was just mere coincidence that she fell in love with the strongest one out of those soldiers.

Her wanting to join the Survey Corps as part of a medical team didn’t have anything to do with Levi; at least, not at first. And she would have joined years ago if not for her brothers begging her not to risk her life so carelessly.

“Do I have to train on how to use the 3D Maneuver Gear? Oh fuck. Will I get to see a titan up close? **Will they let me bring you with me, Greta**?” Various questions spouted from (Y/n)’s lips, all of them having to do with her future life in the Survey Corps; and all of them unanswerable by Greta. 

The orange-haired woman could only look on as her mistress frantically arranged a sheaf of papers, only to pause when a thick, white envelope fell from the stack. (Y/n) paused in her tirade to stare in curiosity at the letter, only to have that curiosity morph into sadness. It wasn’t an important letter, per se, but it still brought forth so many conflicting emotions within the brunette. 

Within the rich, ivory-colored envelope was a wedding invitation to one of her friends’ wedding celebrations back in Marley. Her brothers had forwarded the letter to her, since they wanted her to write a response letter stating her excuse for not getting to attend the party. That had been a few months ago, yet the envy she felt deep inside was still as fresh as ever. 

It was ironic that she could have **almost** everything that she wanted, yet she was sure that marriage would never be an option for her; not when her heart still wanted Levi. Had marriage been an option between them, he would have asked her in any of the years during their five-year relationship; yet he never even broached the subject with her. That was enough of a hint for (Y/n) to know that Levi wasn’t interested in tying himself down; maybe not to her, but perhaps with some other lucky girl. 

The last sentiment sent a reverberating pang of pain through her chest, and she had to rub the spot on her chest right above her heart in an effort to soothe said pain. 

“My lady,” Greta began softly, as if gently lulling her mistress back into the present. She picked up a stack of books from one end of (Y/n)’s desk and arranged them neatly, before turning to those blue eyes that were pinned intently on her. “I don’t think that those things are what’s really keeping you up right now.”

(Y/n) merely sighed and shoved the papers in a drawer.

“What you’re really anxious to find out is how things will play out between you and the Corporal,” Greta mused lightly, not once taking her eyes off of (Y/n). Not even when she took out the stack of papers— that her mistress had unceremoniously kept in a drawer— then proceeded to sort out the junk sheets of paper from the important ones. “A year isn’t enough time to simply forget about someone you’ve loved for five years; maybe forever isn’t enough to forget someone so significant.” 

Sometimes (Y/n) tended to forget just how insightful Greta could get when it concerned her relationship with Levi. It was as if the other woman had gone through something much like she had; which wasn’t impossible, since Greta was already in her late thirties. She was always so carefree and sprightly that it made it difficult to see her as anything but those two things.

“That’s what I’m afraid of, Greta,” (Y/n) admitted softly. It was spoken so quietly that it was barely audible over the shuffling of the papers in Greta’s hands. “I hate him for leaving me, but I’m afraid that I’m always going to love him, despite that. I’m afraid that I’m always going to look for him in everyone I meet. I’m barely moving on from him, Greta; I can’t go through that again. But there’s this stupid part of me that’s still very much in love with him.”

“And what is this ‘stupid’ part of you telling you, Lady (Y/n)?” 

“To give in to him and let myself love him again.”

“I don’t see what’s wrong with trying.”

(Y/n) scoffed, then moved to her adjoining bathroom to wash her hands and feet. “I’m tired, Greta. Can you please wake me up to get ready for Princess Historia’s etiquette lessons?”

She was so far from being tired, but she wanted to be alone with her own feelings. (Y/n) hoped that the time spent pondering over her own emotions towards Levi would be enough to prepare her from the maelstrom of feelings that was going to mess her up if she decides to give in to that stupid part of her. **If.**

***

Levi didn’t know exactly **why** he was standing in (Y/n)’s living room at seven in the morning. He knew that he was going to see her later on in the day, but his traitorous feet kept leading him back to the familiar façade of her house. Her clinic right next door was still closed, and he had heaved in a breath to calm his jittery nerves as he knocked on her front door.

He had half a mind to just say ‘fuck it’ and run, but the door opened with a flourish before he could even take a step away. It was that damn nosey maid of (Y/n)’s— _Greta_ , he grumbled her name in his mind. He was never really fond of the woman, despite his ex-lover’s clear fondness of her; then again, he disliked mostly everyone that wasn’t (Y/n).

“Hello, Corporal Levi. What a surprise,” the orange-haired woman chirped. “Come in, please- oh, you brought Lady (Y/n) her favorite flowers, too.”

Picking the wild cornflowers from the palace’s garden had been a last-minute decision; one that he hoped didn’t end up with him getting flowers in the face.

“Lady (Y/n) will be with you in a moment.” 

The captain didn’t have to wait long until the woman he loved made her way into the living room. She was still wearing her seemingly-innocent nightgown, and her hair was in a barely-tamed state that reminded him so much of all the mornings he woke up with her in his arms. 

His chest actually tightened in longing for another morning like that again.

“I got these f-” Levi began, only to be cut off by her striding across the room and pulling him down for a rough kiss. 

“Shut up, Levi.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! Oh my gosh! Thank you so much for all the feedback! I am so grateful to you guys for the encouragement. <3 Seriously, your comments and kudos make my day so, so much! <3


	5. Chapter 5

Levi didn’t want to look one of Jean Kirschtein’s family members in the mouth, i.e. a horse, with how well his relationship with (Y/n) had been progressing. They talked, they sometimes held hands and, hell, they even kissed every night when he dropped her off at her home. He even had her acting like a proper gentleman, and that was really saying something about how much he loved her.

However, he didn’t want to go and ask her outright what they were. Were they a couple again? Friends, even though that would be dumb as fuck? Or just a passing fancy of hers? The captain was confused as all hell, yet he kept all his questions to himself in fear of rocking the proverbial boat.

That wasn’t his style at all. He **hated** not knowing things— not being in control of a situation— but he could only wait for (Y/n) to make the first move. He had to be patient, for her sake.

It was the least he could do after casting her aside as if it was so easy to him. It killed him inside, but he did it for her own good.

That was the justification that he was hiding behind.

***

“There, finally settled,” (Y/n) announced with finality in her tone as she straightened out the last medical book that she had set down on her table. Her room looked immaculate, even without Greta’s help, but she gave it a week until it was unruly. She tried to keep her quarters as tidy as possible, but it always ended up with stacks of things everywhere.

As much as (Y/n) wanted to bring her housekeeper along, Erwin couldn’t permit a mere civilian to stay within the Survey Corps Headquarters in Trost. The best bargain that he could come up with was getting her a house near the castle, which (Y/n) had agreed to. It was better than having her all the way in Wall Sina.

After surveying the small expanse of her room, the brunette surmised that it was time for a shower. She wasn’t really dirty, but the sweat on her skin made her uncomfortable— and what better way to celebrate her new job than with a warm shower?

Only, it turned out that hot water was almost nonexistent in this part of the wall. There **was** hot water for the first two minutes of her bath, until freezing cold water came raining down upon her. A scream wanted to rip free from her lips, but she bit it back in case anyone thought that she was getting murdered. It wouldn’t do well to set an entire castle of soldiers on high alert.

And so, she hastily finished her shower with a seemingly-permanent scowl on her face. The only silver lining to her mishap was that her skin felt much tighter after all that cool water.

“(Y/n), it’s me,” Levi called gruffly from the other side of the door.

The brunette quickly wrapped her silk robe around her damp body and pattered over to open the door for her… whatever he was to her. She didn’t want to assume anything, nor did she want to ask him what they were. She would wait for **him** to tell her.

“Hello, Levi,” (Y/n) greeted with a slight smile as she opened the door wider for the wide-eyed captain. Instantaneously, he pushed her back inside her room and closed the door behind him.

“ _Tch_. You’re not in your own home,” Levi grumbled irately, even as his eyes lingered on the way that her hard nipples made themselves known through the silky robe. “Never answer the door like this again.”

“But I knew that it was just you, Levi,” she tried to reason, only to be silenced by the raven-haired man capturing her face by her chin. He tilted her head up slightly so that he could look into her eyes, then clicked his tongue once more. 

“Even when it’s me,” he growled in a low tone. “ **Especially** when it’s me.”

(Y/n) caught on to his underlying meaning, and a playful smirk tugged at the corners of her lips. Her hands reached out and pressed themselves against Levi’s abdomen— before trailing up to rest against his chest. Nimble fingers played with the edges of the cravat around the captain’s neck, but he made no physical indication that he was being affected by her touch in any way.

Save for the way that his eyes darkened into dark grey pools of lust. 

“You know…” (Y/n) began coyly. “I haven’t been fucked good in such a long time.”

“Is that so?”

“ _Hm_.” The brunette nodded as her fingers moved to undo the cravat from her lover’s neck. 

“Was the last bastard that good?” Levi grumbled. He leaned forward and planted a ghost of a kiss against (Y/n)’s lips, then trailed down to leave a path of kisses down her neck. 

“Yeah. The best.” (Y/n) let out a breathy moan at the feel of the captain’s tongue soothing the love bite that he had just left on her neck. _Ruined me for every other man._

Levi’s hands moved down to undo the sash at (Y/n)’s waist, then proceeded to push the light material of her robe off her shoulders. It fell into a pool of silk at their feet, but neither of them cared about the expensive material as Levi’s eyes drank in her sinful body. “Beautiful,” he whispered reverently. 

“All for you, Levi.” She murmured just as quietly as her lover did. 

At that, the raven-haired man let his fingertips drift up his lover’s torso; pausing briefly at her breasts to lightly play with her nipples. (Y/n) let out a needy moan that had him getting harder in his pants, yet he made no move to undo his belt; instead, he moved to cup her face in his hands.

The couple barely moved an inch as they looked into each other’s eyes; slowly re-acquainting themselves with their significant other’s features. It had been so long since they had taken the time to just admire each other, and it was a breath of fresh air from the quick kisses that they had shared as of late. This— what was transpiring between them— was much more personal, and much more sensual than any other night that they had shared before. 

Levi’s thumb caressed (Y/n)’s cheek, before drifting down to ghost over her slightly parted lips. Eagerly, the brunette pressed a feather-light kiss onto the digit, as if reassuring him that it was alright to touch her. In a sense, it calmed most of the doubts warring inside him.

“I-” The captain opened his mouth, only to be cut off by four loud knocks on the door. He wasn’t sure what he was going to say; maybe that he still loved her, or maybe he was going to ask her to be his again. It was a momentary lapse in his normally-tight rein on his emotions, and that was one of the reasons why he had pushed (Y/n) away back then.

She made him stupid— in all senses of the word— and he didn’t know how to deal with it then. Hell, he still didn’t know how to deal with it now.

“(Y/n), are you in there? I have some time, so I can help you set up your office in the infirmary.” Hange’s jovial voice cut through the tranquil atmosphere in the room, and Levi couldn’t help but click his tongue in irritation. Though, deep down, he was thankful for her interruption. 

“I- I’ll-” (Y/n) began, only to be cut off by Levi.

“She’ll be right out, four-eyes.” He leaned in and pressed a sound kiss to her lips, then moved away from her to sit down on the edge of her bed. “Get dressed. Four-eyes has the patience of a brat.” 

After sending her lover a glare, (Y/n) set out to quickly throw on some clothes— making sure that Levi saw her forgo her panties. The action proved to be a success because she heard Levi let out an irritated scoff as she pulled her trousers up.

“Are you forgoing a bra as well?” The captain asked irately as his eyes zeroed in on her exposed breasts.

(Y/n) sent him a coy smile as she reached into her closet to pull out a white, lacy bra that— if memory served her right— was his favorite on her. She put the article of clothing on and deftly closed the clasp at the back, in time to catch Levi blatantly ogling her. 

“Your favorite?”

“Shut up.” 

And (Y/n) did, only with a wide grin on her lips. She quickly shrugged a crisp, white button-down shirt on and did the buttons with little difficulty. Once she was mostly dressed, she moved over to the door and opened it for Hange— who was suspiciously quiet on the other side.

When the door opened, the wide-eyed yet ecstatic expression of the other woman greeted (Y/n). “I knew the rumors were true! So, you two **are** together!”

(Y/n) merely remained quiet with the same grin on her face as she ushered Hange inside her room. She wanted nothing more than to confirm the scientist’s suspicions, but even she didn’t know where she stood with Levi; and so, silence was her only option.

“Is that why you never looked at any other woman, Shorty?” Hange all-but screamed at the raven-haired man. She progressed further into the room and plopped down next to the captain. “For how long?”

“Five years,” the stoic man answered flatly, even as his eyes traced (Y/n)’s figure with an intent gleam lighting them up.

The admission both shocked and elated (Y/n). Shocked, because never would she have thought that Levi would bring up their past **at all**. And elated, because he **actually** acknowledged it. She didn’t know what she would have done had he denied their past together.

“We never tried to hide it. All of you were just dumb enough to not piece everything together,” Levi insulted flatly, and (Y/n) had to tamp down a giggle at his barbed words. 

One more thing that the captain loved about her was her sense of humor. Even though she was raised in nobility, she still didn’t mind all of his offensive, and mostly shit-based jokes. In fact, she found his jokes rather hilarious. 

“Ah, before Levi starts spouting more insults, why don’t we go ahead and get started on the infirmary?” (Y/n) suggested with a slight smile.

Both officers looked back at the woman, and while Hange nodded enthusiastically, Levi quirked an eyebrow and zeroed in on his lover’s bare feet. “Barefoot, princess? This isn’t your shitty mansion.”

Instantaneously, a blush stole up to (Y/n)’s cheeks and painted them red. Her lips thinned out into a line that showed her contempt, before she hastened over to one of her trunks to get a pair of boots and socks. 

She hated to put the boots on without re-washing her feet, but she didn’t want to keep Hange and Levi waiting. So, she sat down on the sturdy trunk and was about to put a sock on her left foot when the raven-haired captain called for her to wait. 

In quick movements, Levi got up from his seat on her bed and went into the bathroom to get a damp cloth to wipe her feet with. If memory served him right, she would keep those tiny hand towels in a small ornate box with the (L/n) crest on it.

It was a minute way for her family to show off their wealth, and he had initially hated the box for what it represented, but he started to like it after she had admitted that it was supposed to hold jewelry and such. Instead, she had it filled with fucking hand towels; it just went to show what (Y/n) prized more between the two. 

When he came back into the room, it was to Hange chatting amicably with (Y/n). The two were laughing about something, when he made his presence known by getting down on one knee in front of his lover and taking her right foot into his hands. 

It was romantic, more romantic than a proposal, even. At least, (Y/n) thought so as she watched Levi clean her soles so meticulously. "You remembered."

"Of course."

"I thought you were a senile old man, but I guess I was wrong."

Levi gave no outward reaction to the teasing remark, aside from looking up at (Y/n) and letting her see the predatory glint in his eyes.


	6. Chapter 6

“Operate within a budget?” (Y/n) stated in a quiet hiss, letting her frustration leak out into her tone. “A budget that small? Levi, are you listening to me?” 

The man in question snapped his gaze up to her eyes, and silently cursed himself for letting himself linger on those tempting lips of hers. He **was** listening, but he couldn’t really care less about her budget dilemma. The other doctors before her made it work, he was sure that she could make it work as well. “I am.”

“Then say something, god damn it.”

“What do you want me to say?”

“I don’t know.” (Y/n) answered irately. “Some one-liner about shit. Just… **something**.”

“Something. There. Are you happy now? 

The brunette gritted her teeth in irritation, then huffed and tucked back into her lunch with a cold veneer of indifference. Levi didn’t have to dig deeper into it to know that she was giving him the cold shoulder; she tended to ignore him whenever things like this happened. It was better than having to restrain her as she tried to fight him, though.

He wasn’t one to offer encouragements, she knew that, yet she **always** felt bad when he didn’t say anything to her to lighten her mood. After five years of being together, he felt the bittersweet feeling of having that unchanged. She was a downright brat when she wanted to be, but he still loved her for it; not despite it.

“Ooh, a lover’s tiff. Can I watch?” Hange said by way of greeting. She plopped down in front of (Y/n) with a bowl of stew and a baked potato, then proceeded to devour it.

“Hange, how do you make your budget work for all your experiments?” (Y/n) asked quietly as she looked up at the other woman. Hange pondered upon the question and shrugged.

“I don’t really need to spend much, since most of the things I need are free,” the section commander answered honestly; not wanting to dishearten her fellow brunette any further. “But… I don’t know, we could get donations from our benefactors in Mitras.” 

“Donations, you say?” (Y/n) perked up as an idea hit her. 

“ _Oi_ , you’re not to ask those people for anything.” Levi grumbled.

(Y/n) gave him nothing more than a sideways glance before turning back to Hange. “I could donate all my clinic equipment, so it won’t be like it’s coming from my own pocket. I mean, it’s the same thing if you think about it… but… I’ll run this by Commander Erwin.”

“ _Tch_.” Levi scoffed under his breath. He was hesitant to continue his idea of a peace offering to her, but he knew that he had to suck it up if he wanted to be in her good graces. That was how much he loved the woman. “I’ll tell him. I have to turn in my reports anyway.” 

At that, (Y/n) allowed a sweet smile to tug up at the corners of her lips— just like she always smiled at him when he did something for her. “Thank you, Levi. I-” She had to stop herself there, though. Back then, she would have prattled off a teasing rendition of ‘ _I love you’_ to him, but that was then.

Her smile threatened to falter, yet she held it in place and remedied her gaffe. “I really appreciate it.” 

“ _Hn_.” Was the Captain’s only reply. Though, deep down, he felt a sense of loss from the words that she never said. He knew that she was going to say the words out of habit, but he guessed that it was all for the better that she didn’t; because he didn’t deserve it. Not yet.

For now, feeling her remaining affections for him was enough to tide him over.

“So, (Y/n), did you have any other lovers aside from Shorty?” Hange asked in a manner that was way too invested for her own good.

From beside her, Levi noticeably tensed. His motions while sipping on his customary tea were stiff and so unlike him, that (Y/n) knew he was waiting in anticipation for her answer. She tried to bite back a self-satisfied smile.

“They were more of suitors than lovers, really. The most I did with them was hold onto their arm on a date,” (Y/n) answered with a shrug. Her spoon made a quiet clink as she set it down on her soup plate, and— out of habit— she reached towards her lap to get her table napkin, only to huff when she found nothing but the material of her trousers.

Suddenly, a neatly folded handkerchief slid into her peripheral vision. Her eyes lingered on the stark white cloth, then traced up the hand that it belonged to; only to find a mildly flustered Levi on the other end.

More than grateful for his actions, she took the handkerchief and dabbed at her lips before shocking the captain and planting a swift kiss on his cheek. “Thank you.”

It was safe to say that they were the main topic all over headquarters for that day.

***

If there was ever an instance when (Y/n) thought that using the 3DMG was easy, she sincerely regretted thinking so. Because, as she hung suspended by the belt around her waist, she really wanted to cry. “Do I even have to learn this, Hange? Please, my legs are starting to go numb.” 

“What? Just try to use your core muscles to hold you up; you’ve been doing really good so far,” Hange encouraged with a thunderous cackle. It didn’t serve to bolster (Y/n)’s confidence in her balancing skills, like the scientist had intended. “At least you haven’t flipped upside down.”

“Oh fuck no,” (Y/n) cursed under her breath. “Not that, please.” She was already feeling nauseous as it was. Hanging upside down and finding out how long she could endure defying gravity was **not** on her list of things to do that day. 

The fact that it was only Hange and Moblit seeing her floundering did very little to ease the shame that was bubbling up within the (L/n) heiress. She didn’t mind showing anyone a flaw within her; after all, she was only human and prone to making mistakes like the next person. Yet this was different. Hange was watching her like a hawk and babbling out various types of semi-encouragements, while Moblit settled for halfhearted attempts at calming the section commander down— all while he kept operating the pulley mechanism.

“ _Oi_ , Four-eyes, Erwin wants to speak to you.” (Y/n) almost cheered when she heard her savior’s voice. It was still as gruff as it always has been, but she loved it all the same. 

“Alright. Watch over your precious (Y/n) while I’m gone,” Hange answered teasingly before beckoning Moblit to follow her inside. However, before she completely disappeared, she turned back to grin and wave goodbye at her fellow brunette. 

Once the coast was clear, Levi moved to stand in front of his still-suspended lover. Wordlessly, he cupped her cheeks in his hands and slanted his lips over hers. The kiss was hot and full of want; all tongue and teeth that served to make both (Y/n) and Levi needy for each other.

Levi licked the seam of (Y/n)’s lips before sucking on her bottom lip and nibbling on the plump flesh. He released her bottom lip, and let his lips pepper her face and neck with light, teasing kisses. His hands strayed down to the swell of her hips, where he copped a feel of her ass before going back to somewhere more appropriate. “Keep your arms at your sides. Wrap your legs around me.”

(Y/n) followed his words, only to gasp when she felt his erection rubbing against her clothed cunt. She had to bite down on her lip to hold in a breathless moan when Levi started thrusting against her. “Levi. Fuck me.”

“Later,” the captain whispered into her ear. “You have no idea how much I want to slide my cock in you right now.”

They stayed like that for a couple of seconds more, until Levi broke the low gasps and quick grunts with his words. “Think about that time when I tied your hands to the beam and told you to fuck yourself on my cock.” 

The memory of that night played so vividly in (Y/n)’s mind. It was one of the hottest things that she had ever done; being blindfolded and tied to the support beam on the ceiling while Levi fucked her. He had her screaming in pleasure almost all night; it was just a good thing that the walls were thick enough to muffle all those lascivious sounds.

After that, it didn’t take very long for (Y/n) to learn how to balance herself in the 3DMG wires. 

Levi could only look on with a smirk as he unlatched his lover from the belt. However, she had other plans for them as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a continuation of where they had left off before her rather interesting lesson. 

(Y/n) delved her fingers into Levi’s hair, making sure to lightly scratch near the nape of his neck— as it was a very sensitive part for the corporal. Her action didn’t fail to illicit such a sinful moan from the raven-haired man, that it should have been made illegal. The sound of him being hot and needy for her made her so wet that she didn’t doubt that she wouldn’t need any more foreplay.

“Please, Levi,” the brunette whispered against her lover’s lips. “I want you so bad.”

“ **Ohoho**. What’s this?” Hange’s exuberant laugh rang through the tiny section of the training grounds. However, it shocked the preoccupied couple into practically jumping away from each other. “If you wanted her alone, Levi, you didn’t have to lie about Erwin wanting to talk to me. It appears that he’s out doing an errand and won’t be back until tonight.” 

The corporal avoided looking over to where his crazy comrade was. Instead, he focused his gaze on the lovely sight that (Y/n) made; all mussed and flustered **because of** **him**. She tried to straighten out her wrinkly shirt to no avail, and Levi had to stifle a chuckle at how adorable she was being. 

It was only Hange. She wouldn’t spread this like wildfire; the captain could attest to that much, as she hadn’t ever mentioned (Y/n)’s Marleyan origins to anyone. Not even to Moblit.

“If you two are done sucking each other’s face, we have to move on and teach our dear Lady (Y/n) here how to wield a sword.” The brunette scientist exclaimed with an excited gleam in her eyes.

“ _Ah_ , Hange, is that really necessary?” The lady in question asked reluctantly. “After all, I’m here as a doctor.” 

“That’s true, but who’s to say that you won’t be pulled to join us outside the walls?”

(Y/n) surmised that her new friend did have a point there. Levi, however, looked so against the idea of her leaving the safety of the walls. “Hange has a point, Levi.”

Silence answered the brunette’s words. 

“I’m going to have to leave the walls sooner or later.” It was too much foreshadowing of her inevitable return to Marley than she was comfortable with saying, but it had to be aired out. 

“Alright. But I’ll be the one to teach you. I can’t have you dying on me.” Even though Levi had said it flatly, he couldn’t help but feel worry bubbling up within him. If it were up to him, he would keep her safe within the walls until he had eliminated all of the threats to her life but, unfortunately, he didn’t have a say on what was going to happen.

***

“It feels weird with the triggers,” (Y/n) traced the switches with the pad of her thumb before attaching a blade to the holster— just like Levi had taught her earlier. “But it’s similar to holding a saber. I think.” 

“ _Oh_ , have you done this before, (Y/n)?” Hange asked curiously from her perch beneath a thick tree. She had dismissed Moblit almost an hour ago so that she could ask much more classified questions about (Y/n)’s life in Marley; which were only asked after Levi’s approval.

The woman nodded, then got into a fighting stance with just one sword in hand. She was treating the session much like she would a sparring session with one of her brothers. “Yes. My mother made me choose between ballet or fencing. Of course, I chose the latter.”

“Ballet?” Hange asked aloud, even as she memorized all of the words passing her friend’s lips. Even Levi was interested, as he never took his eyes off of (Y/n). Then again, he **never** looked away from her for too long; it was as if she would disappear if he looked away long enough.

“Uh, how do I explain it… it’s a dance where you have to be very graceful. Um… like this.” She put her feet together in a closed position, before moving her right foot back in an arcing motion— a _rond de jambe_ , if she remembered correctly— before regressing into a _plié_.

It was quite a difficult feat to pull off with the grass beneath her boots, but (Y/n) managed. And it was well-worth the effort because of the humor and fascination that she saw in Levi’s eyes; never mind the awe-filled sounds coming from Hange. “Something like that. I never really finished the ballet lessons, so I’m not too sure.”

“But how do you know all that?” The overly exuberant woman asked.

(Y/n) grinned sheepishly. “I attended one day of the class to try it out. It was too boring, so I joined my brothers instead.” 

“ _Oi, oi_ , we’re not here to hold hands and talk.” Levi cut in through the chatter, as he wielded his blades and waited for his lover to do the same.

“Like the way that (Y/n) didn’t come here to get mauled by a short bear.” Hange teased with a loud laugh, which had Levi glaring at her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!!! I'll try to get back to your comments later. Right now I am swamped with all the tasks I need to do for my parents' tea shop. I need to get orders out, and have to check on renovation plans. All very boring, trust me.
> 
> But thank you so much for all the support! <3 I honestly am very happy when I read them. Seriously! <3
> 
> Oh and, as much as I wanted to make the Reader be this walking contradiction, I figured that giving her my love of ballet would be too much. It's better that she gets some the 'rough and gritty' and 'unfit-for-a-woman' hobbies of mine; just so I know what I'm talking about. I want to write this and not sound like an ass while doing so. Lol. But please tell me if I do start to sound like one. I really will appreciate it. Thank you!!! <3


	7. Chapter 7

Tired didn’t even begin to describe how (Y/n) felt. In the week that she had been in the Survey Corps as their **doctor** , she spent more time training rather than tending to the sick. She may as well have joined as a new recruit rather than have been taken on as a medical specialist. 

She couldn’t blame Levi or Hange for wanting her to be prepared, though. 

However, the latter **could** have been more considerate and given her even a day off to… well, have the time and energy to let Levi fuck the life out of her. The captain may have been unaffected by the rigorous training, but **she was knackered**. Hell, all that she wanted to do during dinner time was sleep at the table.

“You have the day off tomorrow, what do you want to do?” Levi asked flatly as he cast a sideways look at the brunette beside him.

(Y/n) closed her eyes and shook her head. Her brows were furrowed in frustration at everything; not because something bad had happened, but because she was so tired to the point where every muscle in her body was starting to protest. If she were any older, she didn’t doubt that she would be complaining about a broken hip or something else that commonly troubled old people like Levi. 

“A day off? Well, fucking finally.” (Y/n) grumbled irately before she stirred her stew. “I thought you would just keep pushing me until I died of shitty exhaustion.”

“Wow, aren’t you a ray of sunshine,” Hange remarked teasingly, only to laugh when her friend gave nothing more than a Levi-esque scoff in reply. “Whatever happened to the bubbly and friendly Lady (Y/n) of the (L/n)s?”

“She asked to be strangled to death days ago.”

“ _Tch_.” Levi rolled his eyes at (Y/n)’s usual dramatics. After being together for so long, he was so used to her mood swings that he paid no mind anymore. He knew that she would feel better after a good night’s sleep.

“Do you want my share, Hange? I’m not really hungry.”

The scientist shook her head with a more contrite smile on her face. “I’m all full. But you can ask Sasha.”

“Who?”

“ _Oi_ , Sasha,” Levi beckoned the shocked cadet over and, immediately, she ran over to stand in front of the captain in a salute. Her expression showed how worried she was that she was in trouble, so (Y/n) took pity on her and sucked up the last of her energy to be— at the very least— not snarky. 

“Sorry Levi had to call you over,” (Y/n) apologized softly with a small smile on her face. “It’s just I already got my dinner but I don’t want to waste it by throwing it away. I promise you that it’s relatively untouched. I just put my spoon in and-” 

The sheer elation and excitement coming from Sasha was so palpable that it was starting to get suffocating. Had she been given the chance, she would have jumped up and down in joy, but she held it together as she was in front of two officers and the Corps’ lead doctor. However, she couldn’t keep the wonder out of her tone. “Really, Lady (L/n)? Thank you!”

(Y/n) nodded and gently pushed the plates towards her. “You’re doing me a favor, Sasha. Thank you.”

With her dinner already in capable hands, (Y/n) turned back to Levi and silently admired his profile in the torch light. He was busy talking to Hange about something that she didn’t really care about, but his eyes would occasionally drift down and connect with hers.

It was so unladylike of her, but the (L/n) heiress still lifted her arm up and perched her elbow on the table. She then leaned her jaw against the backs of her hands while still watching Levi. He didn’t seem to mind the audience, as he said nothing. In fact, she could even make out a small smirk tugging up at the corners of his lips. 

The two officers’ conversation was mostly one-sided because of Hange’s tendency to babble, yet Levi listened patiently to her words. He didn’t find the topic of titan guts particularly interesting, but he was enjoying having (Y/n) to look at, that he was willing to endure almost an hour of his comrade’s incessant talking. Even when fighting off sleep, she still looked as beautiful as ever.

From across the table though, the Levi squad was having a field day with watching the exchange between their captain and the new doctor. Sasha had told them what had happened earlier, and most of them had to stifle a smile at how happy their friend was.

“Look at how the Captain’s looking at her,” Sasha practically crooned to her squad mates.

Jean scoffed and rolled his eyes. “Like a dead fish?”

“No, idiot.” Connie interjected. “Like he’s… you know. In love?” 

“Well, they **were** together for five years, so it’s possible that he is.” Armin shared with a smile. 

“And how do you know that?” Jean, ever the antagonist, countered. 

“We heard them while we were walking in the halls. Lady (Y/n) left her door open, and we could hear them talking about it. We even saw the captain wiping her feet!” Eren defended proudly. He would have said it louder, had he not been afraid of the repercussions if his captain heard that he and Armin had been eavesdropping on a private conversation.

“Her feet? Wow, he must really like her, then?” Sasha wondered aloud, still enjoying the last quarter of the bread that (Y/n) had given her.

“You don’t just stay with someone for five years and not end up loving them,” Eren mused quietly as he observed the way that Levi set his tea cup down, then murmured something to Hange before he set off to carry (Y/n) out of the dining hall. 

A somewhat tame chorus of disbelief echoed throughout the hall as soon as the doors were closed and Hange— being the mastermind of the betting pool— got up on the bench and asked all of the sulky losers to pay up. 

“How sad is it that we’re all betting on Captain Levi’s love life?” Jean grumbled to himself as he dug out a few coins and forked them over to the overly happy section commander.

***

(Y/n)’s room was dark and chilly when Levi opened the door with one hand. He would have lit a candle, but he knew that the brunette in his arms preferred the darkness. _‘The light hurts my eyes,’_ she would always say to him back then. 

As much as he didn’t want to risk waking her, he also knew that she would wake up in the middle of the night to shower if he didn’t clean her up now. He had to admit that the training she was undergoing was a bit too rigorous for someone who was a civilian no more than a week before; even the cadets got eased into training.

He wanted to go easy on her but, at the same time, he didn’t want to risk the chance of her being a sitting duck outside the walls if Erwin were to assign her on an expedition. Of course, he’d do everything he could to make her safe, but it was better if she at least knew how to operate the 3DMG and defend herself.

It would bring his frazzled heart some semblance of relief.

A sigh escaped his lips as he set her down on the rickety wooden chair that came with the room. (Y/n) opened her eyes a fraction of an inch, then closed them again when she saw that it was Levi with her. “I’ll clean you up,” the captain whispered softly, before planting a kiss on her forehead. 

It didn’t take long for Levi to gather up all that he needed from the bathroom: a clean hand towel from that ornate box of hers, two wash basins— one with soapy water, and one with just plain water, a freshly laundered towel, and a clean nightgown from (Y/n)’s trunk. 

His hands were very gentle with her as he wiped her down first with the soapy water, then ‘rinsed’ her with the plain water. The process that he followed while cleaning her was almost calming with how repetitive it was: dip the towel in the water, wring it, wipe her down, repeat until she’s clean.

The impromptu ‘bath’ lasted for about ten minutes, but those ten minutes were excruciatingly torturous for Levi. He was only a man; he still had urges. And to put a naked (Y/n) in front of him was really a testament to his self-control. 

He quickly dressed her in the nightgown and set her down on her meticulously-made bed. The first thing he noticed was the lack of pillows; she often slept with a mountain of pillows surrounding her— all of them filled with goose down— and it made him wonder why she didn’t bother to bring all of those here. 

“Stay, Levi,” (Y/n) pleaded softly. She was physically half-awake at best, but her brain was conked out. It was too tired to keep up with all that had been happening, and the captain was sure that no one would blame her if they knew what exactly she had to give up to be there.

“I’m not a dog.”

“I know. I love you.” Surely, it was a slip of the tongue. The raven-haired man was sure of that, yet he couldn’t help but feel the smile tugging at the corners of his lips. He might not have deserved to hear the words yet, but that didn’t mean that he didn’t miss hearing them.

“I love you, too.”  


***  


The calm silence was doing wonders for Levi’s state of mind. Normally, he had trouble sleeping at night but at that moment— with (Y/n)’s arms wrapped tightly around him— his eyes were drooping as his mind succumbed to the fatigue he had been enduring for years now. 

“Lady (Y/n)!” Frantic knocks pounded against the door, shocking both occupants of the room into waking. Both of them looked at each other, and Levi cursed aloud as the sleep was wiped from his system, yet he still got out of the bed and marched over to the door.

“What the fuck is it? Do you want me to cut off that tongue of yours?” Levi barked as he opened the door in nothing more than his boxers. 

The now-terrified cadet snapped his mouth shut and straightened up as he forced his body to salute the corporal. “Sir, a titan is right outside the walls.” 

That seemed to spur Levi into action. He immediately got dressed, while (Y/n) slowly climbed out of bed and wrapped a thicker robe around herself. “At night? Is it an abnormal?”

Both men whipped their attention towards the sole lady in the room, and before Levi could say anything about her state of dress, the cadet answered, “That’s the thing that’s bothering us the most, ma’am. It’s not doing **anything**.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, some of the plot has been set in motion. I'm so excited for you guys to read the next few bits. <3


	8. Chapter 8

After much debate, and lots of curse words on Levi’s side, (Y/n) was allowed to join the Survey Corps and Garrison soldiers at the top of the wall. All of them stood at the ready in case the titan in question decided to attack but, so far, there hasn’t been any need for them to move.

It simply **sat** there while staring up at them. 

However, that changed when the 15-metre titan saw (Y/n) in the crowd. It let out a bloodcurdling roar, which made all of the soldiers hold their weapons up higher in preparation to kill the beast. (Y/n) had another thing in mind, though.

“Wait, Levi! Stop them!” She hissed frantically as she clung on to Levi’s arm. 

The captain stopped in his tracks and regarded her with a curious gaze; well, as curious as he gets, anyway. “Do you want to die here? Why would I do that?” 

“That’s my **brother**.” (Y/n) admitted so quietly that Levi almost didn’t hear it. But he did, and he wasn’t quite sure how to react. He knew that she had brothers back in Marley, but what would one of them be doing here? And why would they be a titan? 

Despite all his questions, though, he trusted her. And so, he brought her up to Erwin instead of just offing the damn nuisance. “Erwin-” 

“Commander Smith, you have to cease and desist. I can vouch for that titan’s identity; he’s much like one of your cadets. I- I- um, **fuck**. Just- he’ll go peacefully if you capture him. There’s a-” Her mind was so frantic in preventing the death of her brother that she could barely think and speak at the same time.

Levi noticed how close she was to crying, and subtly reached out to place a hand on her lower back. “There’s a man bound to be in his hands. Brown hair, blue eyes, and is around your height. That man is either Alexei or Kristof.”

Trusting the mere words of a noble woman was not Erwin’s style. He wanted cold, hard facts presented in front of him, but this was a different case. Not only because he had a pact with the head of the (L/n) family, but he could also see the determined set in Levi’s eyes that if he were to go against the woman’s words, there would be hell to pay. 

He was already in hell so he didn’t mind paying a bit more, but to lose Levi’s alliance when he was so close to his goal was unthinkable. So, he chose to order his soldiers to capture the titan instead.

There wasn’t even a scuffle as the soldiers went down and bound the titan’s legs with the 3DMG wires. It was only when the soldiers tried to tie the titan’s wrists that it made a fuss, and it was safe to say that all of them— save for (Y/n), Levi, and Erwin— were shocked to see a man lying unconscious in the beast’s palms.

***

After the man was carried to the infirmary— with (Y/n) frantically racing behind the soldiers carrying the unconscious man— Levi set to carry out the deed that was entrusted to him by Erwin. 

“What have they done to you, Alexei?” (Y/n) whispered as tears fell from her eyes. She had pushed everyone, except Hange, out of the infirmary so she could tend to her brother— without having to worry about formulating a cover story for his sudden appearance. 

“It looks like he wasn’t tortured.” Hange mused as she helped her fellow brunette clean up the older (L/n).

(Y/n) nodded. Her lips were set into a grim line that showed her worry and displeasure, but even with all the feelings pressing down on her, she still set to work with as much focus as possible. “They wanted to see him suffer. Those rat bastards release people to be hunted down by titans, just for pure entertainment.”  
  
“And they didn’t know that your titan outside was a shifter?” 

Once more, (Y/n) nodded. “My brothers have employed shifters out of compassion for them. Most of those shifters were escapees from a lab far up North in Marley; they were hiding in the forests until Alexei and Kristof found them.”

“But why are you hiding here when you have your own titan protection detail over there?”

“Less to worry about for my father.” The younger (L/n) answered with a sardonic smile. She didn’t even flinch as she meticulously stitched a wide cut on her brother’s bicep. “We have to get all of the supplies from my old clinic. Those are much more sterile than what we have here. I believe I saw a pair of tweezers getting eaten away by rust somewhere in those drawers.”  
  
Being the good friend that she was, Hange picked up on (Y/n)’s blatant change of topic and played along with it. “Once this is sorted, I think we can arrange something for that.”

“I’m sure my mother will be willing to lend a few carts to us. I have a lot of things there, so I think three might be needed.” 

“ **Three**? What were you running, (Y/n)? A hospital?” 

Despite the heaviness in her system, a light laugh escaped the doctor’s lips. “Something of the sort. I also have a few items from Marley that I keep in a separate room, which I’m sure you’ll like. They were from my medical school days back there.” 

The excited gleam in Hange’s eyes were unmistakable. She was damn happy at the prospect of getting her hands on modern technology. “Really? Like what? Regale to me the wonders of the modern world.” 

“Well, for one, I have a microscope. It’s like a telescope but much, much more powerful. It allows me to see tiny cells. I’ll teach you how to use it.” The sarcasm in (Y/n)’s voice was pretty evident, which had her friend chuckling at her own brand of humor. “I’ll teach you how to use all of them.” 

At that, the pair descended into a comfortable silence as they tended to the unconscious Alexei. Until Hange felt something bulky in the man’s pocket and proceeded to pull it out.

The sight of the worried leather collar had (Y/n)’s knees feeling weak. It was as if all of her strength left her body as her eyes took in more details of the dog collar; the familiar tiara charm dangling from it, and the faint bite marks from where it was grasped in a dog’s mouth. Instantly, tears pooled in her eyes and rolled down her cheeks in torrents. 

The brunette couldn’t even move as Hange looked from the item in her hands, then to her friend who looked as if her entire world had come crashing down. “I’m sorry, (Y/n).”

(Y/n) could only shake her head as she forced herself to look away from the collar and busy herself with resuming the stitches on her brother’s arm. She was, however, thankful for the silence that the normally-exuberant woman afforded her.

As much as she wanted to stop what she was doing and grieve over the loss of her beloved dog, (Y/n) knew that she had to finish tending to her brother first. Her feelings could come later.

Yet, when she was done with her patient, no more tears came as she stared down at the leather strap in her hands. The pad of her thumb traced over the three Amethyst crystals adorning the three points of the tiara charm, and sadness filled her already-tired soul; still, no more tears came.

All she could do was stare numbly and want for Levi’s warmth.

***

“Lady (Y/n),” the relieved cry of her name was enough to shock the brunette into alertness, just as a familiar head of dirty blond hair got down on all fours in front of her. “I apologize for being so careless with Lord Alexei’s life. I wasn’t paying attention to our surroundings when we were ambushed by the soldiers.”

The brunette wanted to lash out and get all the anger out of her system, but her empathy towards the man before her feet had won out. “Get up, Ludwig. What’s important is you got my brother here in time. Tell me what exactly happened, and don’t spare any detail— we’re going to use that to plan their fucking demise.”

Frankly, Levi was surprised at the blatantly murderous tone that had tinged his lover’s words. He had heard her angry, happy, and all of the emotions in-between; but he had never heard her genuinely out for blood. It saddened him to see her like so, yet he— of all people— understood where she was coming from. If it were him in her place, he would have already hacked off the head of the offender. 

The captain stepped further into the infirmary and closed the door behind him, then he crossed the expanse of the room so he could plant a kiss to the crown of (Y/n)’s head. It wasn’t much in terms of physical support, but it said all that needed to be said; that he was with her to the end.


	9. Chapter 9

“Those slimy rat bastards,” (Y/n) hissed angrily as she clenched her hands into fists. Her anger was so evident on her face that no one— not even Erwin— said anything about her uncouth words. Then again, they were used to it because of Levi. “I’m going to kill all of them.”

Everyone maintained their silence as they let Ludwig’s— the titan shifter under Alexei (L/n)’s employ— story sink in. They had been ambushed by a military faction while simply walking (Y/n)’s dog— Lulu, and without any questions whatsoever those bastards brought them in for an interrogation.

A few military officers had kept asking Alexei about a formula—a **cure** for titans—but he didn’t have any knowledge about it; and so was thrown on a ship with Ludwig and a few others. They never hurt him aside from a few rough hits, but when they were sure that they wouldn’t get what they wanted from him…

(Y/n)’s blood boiled just thinking about it. If she wanted to kill the people who wanted them dead then, she wanted to annihilate the **entirety of Marley** now. “They fucking chained him to an anchor and tossed him overboard. And as if that wasn’t enough, they wanted Ludwig to eat him. We’re just lucky that they didn’t know that Ludwig is a shifter.”

Another bout of silence ensued. It was as if they were all waiting on (Y/n) to gather more information for them. It pissed her off that no one was suggesting a plan of action— then again, she knew that she would try to bite off someone’s head if they gave a stupid suggestion. So, it was all for the better that no one spoke.

It wouldn’t bode well for her to burn bridges with her only allies.

“And what of my father? Of Kristof?” The sole (L/n) in the room asked the battered man sitting across her. “Do you know what happened to them?”

“I’m sorry, my Lady.” Ludwig shook his head sadly. There was a brief moment where he hesitated, before adding, “I- I would tell you if I could.”

“Goddamn idiot,” (Y/n) spat at Ludwig, which garnered a few looks of surprise within the occupants of the room. Slowly, the (L/n) heiress got up from her seat and took her time rounding the table so she stood behind her brother’s underling.

Everyone’s eyes watched her every move— a pair of blue-grey eyes more intently than most— as she beckoned Ludwig to stand up. The moment that he turned to face her, though, he didn’t even have the chance to dodge as (Y/n) delivered a swift and heavy backhanded slap to his face.

At that, all the squad leaders jumped in surprise. Hange pulled her friend away from the stupefied shifter, while Levi sauntered towards the man under questioning. Erwin— being the coolheaded person he was— only sat and waited for the outcome, while the other squad leaders were halfway between sitting and standing.

“It’s either you tell us what you know, or I break all your bones right now,” Levi threatened irately. He had also caught on to Ludwig’s hesitance earlier, which made him sure that the scumbag was lying through his teeth.

“Lord Alexei made me swear not to tell you, my Lady.” Ludwig cried helplessly, as Levi took that opportunity to twist his arm— literally. The taller man winced in pain as a sickening pop was heard, but no one lifted a finger. Everyone was a mere spectator in the game of interrogation that (Y/n) and Levi were playing.

“Fuck all of their attempts to ‘protect’ me,” (Y/n) spat. “Tell me. **Now** , Ludwig, before I ask Levi to make good on his threat.”

A forlorn sigh escaped the blond’s lips. His shoulders slowly sagged, and he nodded. “Lord Kristof and Lord Arvid have gone back to the city. They believe that there will be less of a chance that the military would attack them within plain sight of so many people. It would incite an uprising from the common folk if members of your family are killed.”

“Why is that so?” Erwin cut through the discussion.

(Y/n) looked to Levi before letting her gaze connect with the Commander’s. A small smirk tugged up at the corners of her lips. “Because they followed my suggestion. They gathered the general public’s support by playing the devil’s advocate; funding rejected projects, supporting all the Eldians in Liberio, providing free legal counsel to those in-need of it. Basically serving as the freedom fighters for the people.”

“Making them important to the masses,” the Commander mused softly. If he were to be vocal about his thoughts, he would say that he was impressed with (Y/n)’s sharp mind and business acumen. Though her plan was rather manipulative, he wasn’t exactly one to judge.

It got the outcome that she wanted, and that was what was important.

Surprising everyone, a wry chuckle escaped Erwin’s lips. He leveled his gaze on the (L/n) heiress to show how sincere he was in his offer, and she returned that stare with a cold flatness that was very similar to Levi’s.

He had known the relationship between the two from the very beginning— all the way from when they met at that gathering in Mitras that he had brought Levi to— and he couldn’t care less about their relationship, as long as it didn’t interfere with their duties.

“Would you consider transferring full-time into the Corps as a soldier, rather than a doctor?”

Levi’s eyes narrowed dangerously as he looked over at Erwin. “ _Oi_. Get that damn idea out of your brain, Erwin.”

“I apologize, Commander,” (Y/n) answered with that smirk still firmly on her face. She gently wrapped her fingers around Hange’s forearms and pulled her friend’s hands off of her biceps. “Waging war and defying the government may be in my blood, but I would rather heal people than kill them. That counts for titans, as well; as they were once human.”

The (L/n) heiress then crossed the room in slow but confident strides, and Levi almost couldn’t believe the transformation of the woman before his eyes. When earlier she was full of anger and resentment, now she was filled with a smug elation and… a much more sinister aura that made it seem that she had figured out something important in the grand scheme of things.

Levi had known that this side to her existed, as previewed to him by their numerous nights together, but this was the first time that he was seeing the full extent of it. Frankly, it excited and scared him at the same time.

Scared not of her, but for her.

With a low _‘Thank you, Ludwig’_ , she popped the man’s shoulder back into place.

***

“Sit down. You’re spreading out the dirt with all that pacing,” Levi called out gruffly to the brunette walking around in his office.

“I can’t just sit still, Levi. You know that,” (Y/n) defended herself with a frown on her face. As if to further defy him, the brunette kept on pacing in the room as she tried to formulate a plan for her retribution.

Levi clicked his tongue in irritation before pushing himself up from his seat. He cut (Y/n) off in five strides, then stopped her in her tracks by tangling his fingers in her hair and pulling her in for an open-mouthed kiss. His tongue licked the seam of her lips and it didn’t take long for her to give in to him.

Slowly, the corporal backed his lover up so that she was leaning against the edge of his desk. The brunette tried to fight back as Levi stood between her legs, and tried to push her down on top of his half-completed pile of paperwork; to no avail. She was no match for Humanity’s Strongest Soldier, so she could only succumb to his strength.

(Y/n)’s entire body felt like it was being consumed by an inferno, that was stemming from her lower abdomen. Her breaths came in stuttered pants, as Levi was relentless on his assault on her mouth. He gave an all new meaning to the word ‘ **devouring** ’. It was like he was a man starved of touch.

Then again, she could say the same for herself as she dug her nails into Levi’s clothed shoulders and raked them down his back. The action elicited a moan from him, which afforded the (L/n) heiress some time to catch her breath. And, once more, his lips were upon hers.

Shamelessly, (Y/n) wrapped her legs around her lover’s waist and ground her hips up so that she could tease the erection that was steadily growing beneath the Corporal’s pants. At that, the raven-haired man detached his lips from the woman beneath him, and opted to lean his forehead against hers.

Low, throaty gasps left Levi’s lips; and (Y/n) could not have been more proud of herself than at that moment. The sight of him above her was quite something to behold. Levi’s eyes were closed in pleasure, his cheeks were flushed red, and his lips were parted slightly to make way for his gasps and quiet moans.

No matter how riveting that view was, it was still nothing compared to when Levi opened his eyes and gazed right into (Y/n)’s blue eyes. His gaze was full of need, which only served to stoke the fire inside his lover.

With one last peck to (Y/n)’s lips, Levi untangled himself from her arms and proceeded to get on his knees. The action surprised the brunette and, instantaneously, an excited gleam lit up her features. She licked her lips in anticipation, and was about to take off her pants herself— when the Corporal unbuttoned the article of clothing and proceeded to yank it down to her ankles; along with her panties.

“Please, Levi,” (Y/n) whispered— almost breathless with want— as she watched her lover reposition her legs so that they were slung over his shoulders. She wanted to take her pants off all the way, but she knew that it was Levi’s way of restraining her; the bastard.

The Corporal shook his head, as if disappointed at her impatience, before reaching out and rubbing her clit with the pad of his thumb. Instantaneously, a loud moan escaped (Y/n)’s lips as her hips bucked up in reflex. Levi remedied that by wrapping his left arm around her thigh and pushing her down by her hip.

“Did you miss me?” Levi asked gruffly before he licked up (Y/n)’s slit.

“Yes, Levi!” The (L/n) heiress all-but screamed.

A smirk curled the corners of Levi’s lips, before he delved in and proceeded to show (Y/n) just how much **he** had missed **her**.

With every pass of his tongue on her clit, the woman would cry out and reflexively buck her hips up. She was so open with her moans and reactions that it made Levi realize just how much he missed eating her out. “Levi, fuck. Keep fucking me with your tongue. I’m so close.”

At that, Levi removed his mouth from (Y/n)’s cunt and had to chuckle at the needy whimper that escaped her lips. He felt a bit bad for stopping when it counted the most, but she had to be punished for scattering out the dirt, and worrying the floors in his office. “Tough luck, princess. This is a punishment.”

“Levi! You fucking bastard!” (Y/n) cried adamantly as her lover got out from between her legs. “Get back here and make me cum!”

“Maybe tonight.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! And that was a taste of things to come. Lol. Pun intended.
> 
> Thank you so much for all the support! I honestly appreciate it. <3 And thank you so much to **Kat26** and **CrystalCaelum** for all the lovely comments. Thank you sooooo much! <3
> 
> Please don't hesitate to tell me your theories on what you think will happen. That adds more fun to things, I swear.


	10. Chapter 10

“Empty promises,” (Y/n) spat irately with a roll of her eyes. She tucked her arms closer to her body as she shimmied away from where Levi was lying on the bed— her bed. “I was promised a good fucking, Levi." 

“I had to go to a meeting, (Y/n).” The Corporal sighed. “It wasn’t as if you weren’t busy, too.”

The brunette merely scoffed and further curled in on herself as she sulked further, while Levi rolled his eyes at her childish antics. “Listen, (Y/n), I would fuck you in a heartbeat if I wasn’t so tired. You’d scream so loud that the entire headquarters would know who was making you feel so good; fuck, your brother would wake up with how loud you would be. But **I. Am. Tired.** ”

It wasn’t often that her raven-haired lover admitted to feeling fatigue like a normal human being, so (Y/n) took pity on him after his honest words. In fact, she felt a little bad for pestering him. Slowly, she uncurled herself from her fetal position and gingerly turned on her other side— so that she was facing Levi.

She reached a hand out and laid her palm on his abdomen. Her fingers toyed with the soft material of her lover’s shirt, as her eyes looked earnestly into his own. “I didn’t know. I’m sorry. Though… that never stopped you before.”

“I had a lot less to think about back then,” Levi admitted flatly, as he repositioned his arm so that (Y/n) was using it was a pillow.

“You had a lot more people helping you back then.” (Y/n) mused softly as she snuggled further against the raven-haired man. By then, her fingers had already progressed to drawing nonsensical patterns over the Corporal’s abdomen.

Briefly, the couple’s minds drifted back to the former Levi squad, yet no one said anything. They both knew what the other was thinking, and that silence was enough for them to pay their respects to the fallen soldiers.

“But you have me now.” The brunette smiled as she pressed a kiss to Levi’s jaw. “I’ll try to make your work load much easier, **Captain** Levi.”

“You’ll just be a distraction.” Levi clicked his tongue in mock irritation, before pulling (Y/n) closer to him and slanting his lips over hers. “Waving that ass in front of me all day. I might just spend the entire day fucking you, instead of fucking with the paperwork.” 

“That sounds enticing.”

“Don’t tempt me.”

“Well, don’t put ideas in my head.” A grin lit up the (L/n) heiress’ face.

Levi growled low in his throat before hauling the brunette on top of him. She reflexively placed her legs on either side of his hips, and purposely pressed her cunt flush against his slowly-hardening erection. “What am I going to do with you?”

“Fuck me, please?” (Y/n) batted her eyelashes at him, all while a sweet smile curled her lips. “I’ll do all the work if my old man’s too tired.”

Grey eyes narrowed dangerously at the teasing barb aimed at him. And he silently cursed himself for falling so easily into his conniving lover’s trap. “Who are you calling old, _ha_?”  
  
Only a mere innocent smile answered Levi’s question, which had him scoffing right before he wrapped (Y/n)’s hair around his right hand and pulled her down for a punishing kiss. Meanwhile, his left hand anchored itself to her waist so tightly that he knew it was going to leave bruises. 

In turn, (Y/n) slid her hands beneath the Corporal’s shirt to get a skin-to-skin feel of those glorious abs of his. As much as she loved to tease him about his age, she knew that it was a mere number with Levi; very few ‘old’ men would have an eight-pack like his. Briefly, it made her wonder if she would manage to get even just a shadow of a six-pack, but dismissed the thought as she felt the hand on her hip bunch up the hem of her nightgown at her waist.

 _And Levi always says that I’m the impatient one_. The brunette smiled into the kiss as the words crossed her mind.

(Y/n) pulled away from the raven-haired man’s lips, and both of them caught their breath as their lips lay mere centimeters from each other’s. Levi was just about to pull her back in for another make out session, when the conniving woman shook her head and planted her lips on his jaw; before making a trail of kisses down to his neck.

Marking Levi up did use to be one of her favorite past-times. Just seeing her marks on his pale skin never failed to send lust and smugness coursing through her. And he seemed to like it as well, since she had never heard him complain about them. In fact, she often used to see him **admiring** his love bites in the mirror.

Just as (Y/n) was done making a huge love bite on the side of the Corporal’s neck, a loud knock on the door made both of them jump in surprise.

Reluctantly, the brunette unlatched herself from her lover’s neck and rested her forehead against his left clavicle. In turn, she heard— rather than felt— the heavy and mildly irate sigh that left Levi’s lips.

“This entire regiment is a fucking cock block,” he muttered gruffly, before adding in a much louder voice, “State your name and fucking business.”

Against herself, a snicker from (Y/n) echoed in the room when she heard the terrified squeak from the soldier outside. “A- Armin Arlert, Captain. Alexei (L/n) is awake, sir.”

(Y/n) couldn’t get herself out of bed fast enough after that.

***

“We would’ve been here sooner if you didn’t make me change,” (Y/n) grumbled under her breath as Levi made the last turn to get to the infirmary. 

The captain scoffed in reply. “It’s not like he’s going anywhere. What could a barrister do to a handful of soldiers? Bore them to death?”

 _He does have a point._ The brunette acquiesced mentally, yet outwardly rolled her eyes and shouldered past the raven-haired man, just to spite him. In retaliation, though, Levi merely narrowed his eyes at the back of her head, even though he wanted nothing more than to bend her over and spank the living daylights out of her ass; preferably while his cock was inside that tight cunt of hers.

“Shut up, Levi,” (Y/n) halfheartedly snapped over her shoulder, just as she raised her left hand with the middle finger up in a salute.

A low chuckle passed the Corporal’s lips, and he shook his head at (Y/n)’s childish antics. Some days, he couldn’t fathom how he came to love the woman; but most days, he couldn’t believe how such a woman like her could fall in love with someone like him. It was a surreal feeling; almost outlandish with how unbelievable it really was to have someone care for him that much.

“My head feels like it was bashed in a couple of times. I wouldn’t put it past my sister to hit me a couple of times while I was unconscious.” The moment that (Y/n) heard her brother’s voice, she practically broke off into a sprint and shoved the doors of the infirmary wide open.

“What did you just say, you absolute piece of trash?” The brunette lady hollered in such a brute manner that it made everyone in the room’s eyes widen in shock. They weren’t appalled by her behavior; more surprised that a member of nobility like her could manage to even act so unlike her title, especially when she was the one who was tasked to teach the current Queen her etiquette lessons.

Surprisingly, a grin broke out on the relatively good-looking man’s face, as he got up and wrapped his younger sister up in a tight hug. He was evidently bulkier and taller than her, which made him look like a bear that was about to have a snack.

(Y/n) tried to wrap her arms around her brother, only to start hitting his back when he lifted her up in the air. “You don’t know how much we’ve missed having you around. It’s been too quiet around the house without you.”

“I’m sure it has,” (Y/n) whispered with a laugh, while snuggling her cheek against her brother’s chest. She had always been close with her older, twin brothers, so it really took a toll on her when she had to move to Paradis with their mother.

Alexei patted her back gently, before affectionately rubbing the top of her head. “So, are you getting along better with mother now?”

“Fuck no. That woman will drive me into insanity first before we agree on anything,” the younger (L/n) answered as she pulled away from her brother’s hug. She looked up at him and examined his now-animated features. His eyes were still the same bright blue that she remembered, his chocolate brown hair was lighter with a few grey strands here and there, but his face was still as good-looking as all the women back home claimed it to be. “You’re still ugly, unfortunately.”

“And you’re still a damn pain in the ass, I see. I pity the poor bloke who calls himself your lover.” Alexei chuckled as he slung an arm around his sister and ruffled her hair.

(Y/n) rearranged her hair back into the neat waves it used to be, before drawing her left arm back and punching her brother in the side. “Fuck off.”

A loud huff of breath escaped the older (L/n)’s mouth, and he retracted himself from the demon spawn beside him— in favor of holding on to his tender side. He inched back towards his bed, only to be helped by Ludwig halfway through his journey.

“I thought it would be a more loving reunion,” Hange broke the awkward silence that befell the room.

The (L/n) siblings exchanged a look of disgust, then simultaneously shook their head at the other.

“Loving? That demon spawn right there? Hell would sooner freeze over before that happens,” Alexei rolled his eyes as Ludwig sat him back down on his hospital bed. “It’s like she’s the personification of a Harpy.”

“Quiet, you.” (Y/n) pointed at her brother before, naturally, gravitating towards Levi. In turn, the captain put a hand on the small of her back and slowly massaged a small spot with the pad of his thumb.

No matter how far he was from the couple, Alexei still caught on to Levi’s actions and quirked an eyebrow at the shorter man. “Ah, you must be the poor bloke. Nice to meet you. I’m that little runt’s older brother.”

“Likewise,” Levi said simply with a curt nod. It was the politest that most officers in the room have seen him, which garnered quite a few surprised looks. It seemed that wherever (Y/n) was, surprises were bound to jump at people left and right.

“So, I gather you’re all here to learn about what I know.” Alexei didn’t beat around the bush anymore.

Erwin, along with a few other officers nodded. Then, the commander added in a polite yet demanding tone, “If it wouldn’t be too much trouble.” That tone of his didn’t leave much room for argument. How he managed to do it, no one had a clue. (Y/n) reckoned that it was just part of who Erwin was.

“Well, to begin with, the real reason why most of those Marleyan rat-faced foot-lickers want us dead is because my family has been trying to come up with a cure to the titan serum; all for the residents of Paradis, of course.”

“Why, though? What’s your motivation? Why help us?” Hange asked seriously.

Alexei turned his gaze on her, and a faint blush bloomed on the scientist’s cheeks. (Y/n) had to roll her eyes at another one of her friends that was ensnared within her older brother’s good looks. “The kindness of our hearts?” He chuckled; a hollow sound that didn’t even toe the line with humorous. “Because, as the rightful rulers of Marley, we want peace between our countries before we take over the throne.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Oh my gosh! Thank you so much for the feedback! Jeez, that was a lot! <3 
> 
> Btw, what do you guys think about Alexei? Should he be some kind of lothario or a real gentleman??? I'm leaning more towards a lothario persona to give him some kind of personality flaw, like how the reader is very uncouth at times. Ya know? I'm not too sure. I might sleep on it first, but please don't hesitate to tell me what you guys think.
> 
> Shoutouts to **KMZ173, CrystalCaelum, Chae, and Kat26**. You guys are so awesome!!!! Thank youu! <3


	11. Chapter 11

“So, after all these years that you spent keeping me in the dark,” the (L/n) heiress began in a low tone as she set her disbelieving gaze on her older brother. Her mind was whirling with too many thoughts all at once, that it was starting to become too overwhelming for her.

It was just a good thing that Levi’s hand was still a comforting weight against her back, because she focused on it and used it to anchor herself to reality. Still, it didn’t erase the mild feeling of betrayal in her mind. She knew that she was on a need-to-know basis, but wasn’t that fact one of the things that she **needed** to know?

“What purpose did you have in doing it? Keeping the serum a secret is a given, because no knowledge means a quicker death…” She said the words so brazenly that it made even Alexei flinch. Yet, she still continued, “But why would you keep that from me?”

Everyone in the room remained silent as they lay in wait for the older (L/n)’s answer. It was grating on (Y/n)’s nerves that her brother was making her **wait** for such information, but she didn’t have much choice; it was either she waited for him to speak, or she punched the answer out of him.

Her chest was starting to tighten up, and she could also feel the tiny pinpricks of heat behind her eyes; telltale signs that she was about to start crying, but she swallowed past the lump in her throat and narrowed her eyes at her brother. “ **Alexei**! Answer me, damn it!”

“Because you would have wanted to stay and fight for it.” Alexei answered in a rush of words. It was as if the sentence was forcefully ripped from his mouth, judging by the way that he looked very displeased at himself for succumbing to his sister’s pressure. “You think like a damn mastermind, (Y/n). We didn’t want you to use all that cunning for so many wrong things. We… the things we’ve done; the people we’ve bribed… the people we’ve k- we didn’t want you to experience all that.”

“Why? Because I’m a woman?” (Y/n) practically shouted. She was so mad that her jaw was starting to hurt with how tightly she gritted her teeth, just to hold back some choice words from flying out.

“Because if all this goes to hell, we don’t want to drag you down with us!”

The younger (L/n) was feeling so frustrated at that kind of logic coming from her brother. She knew her father and brothers were protective, but she didn’t think they were deluded enough to reckon that she would meekly agree with whatever they dished out. “And if it fucking works out?”

“Then we— me, father, and Kristof— can all die peacefully knowing that you’re the one running Marley.”

“Well, too fucking bad for you, I don’t want to be the damn Queen of **anything**.” (Y/n)’s words came out as incredulously as it could get; her eyes wide with disbelief mixed with anger, and her cheeks red with all the mixed variations of irritation coursing through her. Her chest heaved up and down as she breathed heavily, then she jerked her thumb over to Levi— not even turning to glance at him as she spoke, “Queen of his life, probably. But nothing else.”

Levi blinked twice at that admission, then quirked an eyebrow at his brunette lover. It was the closest thing that she had ever said that even relatively pertained to marriage, and her words served to make his stomach feel so empty yet full at the same time.

He had thought about marrying (Y/n) for a brief time when they first became a couple, but had shot down the deluded ideas before they could take root in his heart. It just wasn’t possible with them; not because he found the idea appalling, but because he didn’t want to leave (Y/n) a widow at such a young age.

He didn’t want to hurt her more than he already was, by just being with her and letting her grow deeper feelings for him. If he died tomorrow… he didn’t even want to think how much pain the brunette beside him would be in.

In a sense, he would be free. But could he leave this earth knowing that he had left someone he loved behind? Could he leave (Y/n) behind? _No. I couldn’t._

He was no better than Alexei (L/n). Both of them were selfish; in the sense where they thought of nothing but how **they** would feel if (Y/n) were to go through their deaths. They weren’t thinking of how she would feel, knowing that they were making her decisions for her; thinking of her sake, at the price of her independence.

If their roles were reversed, and she were the one putting him at arms’ length to save him from feeling pain when she was gone, he would be livid. But he wasn’t her… and he was fine with enduring her imminent anger when the time came. He was fine with anything as long as he knew that she would go on living… **with or without him**.

And Alexei’s plan on pushing (Y/n) into Marley’s throne was starting to sound more and more appealing to him. Not because he wanted to rule beside her, but because it would guarantee her safety. All she needed were a few trustworthy people, and he was sure that some of his squad members would be willing to serve under her. Even if it would only be to honor his final wish.

Alexei took on a pleading tone as he tried to reason out with his sister. He was almost at wit’s end in searching for a good reason on why they thought that she was the best candidate to rule Marley— once they usurped the throne— but she wouldn’t listen. “(Y/n), hear me out-”

“No.” The brunette held a hand up and shook her head in finality. “You’re making it seem like this is a damn suicide mission. Fuck, Alexei. **You’re making it what it doesn’t need to be**. I-”

“Hear him out.” Levi cut in a quiet yet firm tone. His eyes bore straight into Alexei’s, and he could see the silent thanks in the other man’s gaze.

“But, Levi-”

“Just hear him out, (Y/n).”

Though it was petulant, (Y/n)’s silence afforded the older (L/n) the time to explain his side of things. “You wouldn’t have to do it if one of us survives, but we’re only planning for the worst case scenario.”

“Then don’t fucking **plan** for it! **Avoid it**! Are you stupid or what?” (Y/n) stepped forward and flailed her hands around in anger, as she spat the words.

Alexei was stone-faced as he quirked an eyebrow at his livid sister. He understood what she was feeling, yet she didn’t have to resort to such low insults while talking to him. “Did I once insult you during this conversation, (Y/n)?”

Silence.

“Need I remind you that I’m still your older brother, and that I deserve your respect?” The older (L/n)’s words were low and calm, yet his eyes reminded (Y/n) so much of their own mother’s angry gaze when she blatantly disrespected her. Instantly, she felt shame go flooding her system.

Her shoulders noticeably hunched, and her chin tilted a bit lower— yet her gaze never wavered from her brother. The apology was burning on the tip of her tongue, yet she kept her mouth closed as her pride held her back.

All eyes were darting between the siblings— trying to gauge who was going to win in the silent battle— yet no one spoke. The silence was so suffocating, and the stares were getting so heavy that it felt like the walls were closing in on the younger of the two (L/n)s.

Slowly, despite her efforts to hold them back, (Y/n)’s tears overflowed from her eyes and silently rolled down her face. “Excuse me.”

With that, the brunette hastily wiped her tears away and ducked her head as she made a fast exit. Levi, however, clicked his tongue in irritation and wordlessly followed his lover. He wanted to blame Alexei for making her cry, but he knew that it was her own fault. She had made her bed, and now she had to lie in it.

There was nothing more he could do than be there for her.

“Leave me alone, Levi,” (Y/n) ordered thickly through her tears. Her hands kept trying to wipe them away, yet fresh ones always replaced the ones she had swiped with her fingers. She didn’t even know where she was heading in the castle; all that she knew was that she wanted to be as far away from the infirmary as possible.

With a steady grip on her elbow, the Corporal stopped the woman in her tracks and slowly trailed his hand up so that it rested on the side of her neck. He turned her to fully face him, and wordlessly wiped the fresh tear tracks away with the pad of his thumb. “Tough luck, princess. I don’t want to leave you alone.”

Levi should have been grossed out by the snot that she kept sniffling back, but he— surprisingly— found it endearing as he pulled his handkerchief out of his pocket with his free hand, and proceeded to wipe at her nose.

If it were any other person, he wouldn’t even be touching them with a ten-foot pole, but this was (Y/n) in front of him. She was hurting, and he knew that— by some miracle— he brought her comfort, so he was going to use it to his advantage; if only to ease the ache he felt in his own chest at seeing her in tears. He was so in love with her that it was pathetic.

“You look like a sniveling titan,” Levi muttered gruffly, which brought a shocked expression to (Y/n)’s face. She was about to open her mouth, when he added… even as his heartbeat echoed loudly in his ears. “But I still love you.”

“Shut up, Levi.” (Y/n)’s tears were flowing at full-force by then, and her bottom lip was quivering in an ugly pout as she reached out and wrapped her arms tightly around the man she loved the most.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! As always, thank you for the support! <3
> 
> I will try and get back to your messages later, maybe after my nap since I'm feeling a bit under the weather. Oof.
> 
> Your thoughts on this chapter would be very nice. <3 Thank you!


	12. Chapter 12

“You’re acting like a child,” Levi muttered under his breath, as he regarded the fidgety brunette by his side. He didn’t want to have anything to do with the current mess that was the (L/n) siblings’ relationship but, unfortunately, being irrevocably in love with the female half of that pair entailed… well, getting tangled up in the clusterfuck.

Blue eyes narrowed in disbelief at the captain, before they rolled so far back into their beholder’s head that it prompted him to quirk an eyebrow at her. If she rolled them any further, Levi was sure that they would remain that way. “Are you on his side, or mine?”

“I’m on no one’s side.”

“It doesn’t seem like it.”

“You’re reading too much into things.”

“Oh, I am? Well, fuck you, Levi.”

A sigh escaped the captain’s lips as he pinned his gaze on his now-irate lover. “I don’t want to fight, (Y/n).”

“We’re not fighting, Levi. We’re discussing something like two adults.” Judging by her irate and rushed tone alone, (Y/n) was far from ‘ _not fighting_ ’ with the Corporal. She felt the slow burn of anger bubbling up in the pit of her stomach, and no matter how hard she tried to tamp it down, it simply wouldn’t go away.

Unfortunately for the raven-haired man, he was the outlet of her anger for today. However, he was having none of it. He was still tired from the lack of sleep, and he didn’t doubt that it was one of the causes why (Y/n) was acting like such a brat with him as well.

Levi’s lips thinned into a line that showed his contempt at the situation, and those trademark (L/n) eyes narrowed at him. And just like that, (Y/n) got out of her seat and walked out of the dining hall without even a glance at him.

As soon as the doors closed behind her, Levi raised a hand up to his forehead so that he could massage his temple. Maybe he was better off having kept his mouth shut, after all.

***

Hours had passed since that little tiff with Levi in the dining hall, and (Y/n) had since to leave the confines of the infirmary. In all honesty, she was avoiding running into him, because she knew that things would just get even more out of proportion if she let her temper get the best of her. He didn’t even do anything wrong, except point out the obvious.

She **was** acting like a child by avoiding her brother; just like how she was currently avoiding Levi.

People came and went in to see her from time to time; all of them sporting minor scrapes and a few bruises, but nothing too serious. It went against her oath to wish bodily harm on people, but she wished that a few more people would get some more cuts just so she could keep herself occupied.

She didn’t know how many times she had arranged and rearranged the book shelf in the room. Initially, she had arranged the books alphabetically, before rearranging it by publication date, and now she had taken everything out of the shelf and just got done grouping everything by the color of the cover.

Safe to say, she was fucking tired of trying to keep herself preoccupied so that her thoughts wouldn’t drift back to Levi.

“Doctor?” A meek voice called out in the spacious infirmary. (Y/n) perked up from where she was standing in front of the bookshelf, and walked out from behind the wooden partition to make her presence known.

“I’m back here,” the brunette answered with a small smile, as her eyes landed on two familiar faces. If her memory served her right, those two were Sasha and Jean from Levi’s squad. The pair was carrying a myriad of cleaning supplies, that didn’t even have (Y/n) thinking twice about who sent them. “Did Levi send you?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Sasha answered with a slight smile. “So, where do you want us to start?”

“Well…” Blue eyes stared intently at the cleaning supplies in their hands, before darting up to their faces. With a sincerer smile, the (L/n) heiress continued, “A few cadets just cleaned in here this morning, so it would be dumb to clean it again. But I do need help with reorganizing a few things. Would it be alright if you helped me with that instead?”

“Yes. The captain did tell us to listen to your orders, ‘ _as if they were **my** orders’_,” Sasha said the last bit in a flat and gruff tone that didn’t resemble Levi at all, and it elicited a light laugh from the doctor.

“That man. I swear…” a smitten grin threatened to stretch over her teeth, but she held it back by biting down on her bottom lip. She was a bit lost in her fluttery feelings for the Corporal, since her eyes were out of focus, and her mind was spaced out to thoughts of him, until she remembered that she had company and beckoned them to the very end of the infirmary.

Still, the butterflies in her stomach didn’t recede; nor did the guilt coursing through her system taper down into a more manageable feeling. In fact, her guilt only increased in its intensity as she looked back at Levi’s squad members. He had sent them to the infirmary for the primary purpose of cleaning, but she knew that his real motive for sending them was so they could keep her company.

It was an abuse of his authority, but that didn’t mean that she didn’t appreciate the gesture. Hopefully, she could talk to him about it later… along with an apology. She owed him that much for acting like a bitch.

She loved getting the occasional alone time as much as the next person, but growing up with so many people keeping her company had gotten her used to always having someone around; even if it was just to sit with. It felt less lonely to do something with someone, after all.

Once the trio was at the end of the room, (Y/n) motioned towards a very ancient-looking cabinet that took up a really good portion of the west wall. It was filled with textbooks and a few medical supplies that she had been wanting to get rid of ever since she first got there. However, no matter how much she cleaned the thing, more items just kept popping up inside. So, she had thought to wait for Greta to visit at the end of the week so she could get help with it.

But now, she wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth for giving her two more pairs of hands to help.

Instantly, (Y/n) and Sasha set about to taking out most of the clutter in one of the compartments, while Jean went out to look for a bigger trash bin or bag to put all the junk in. It was silent for a short while, until the (L/n) heiress spoke.

“Was Levi in a bad mood?”

Sasha seemed surprised by the question, but shook her expression off before nodding. “Worse than usual, I’m afraid, Lady (Y/n).”

A huff left the doctor’s lips at that answer. Even when he was cross with her, he still thought about how she had no one to keep her company… “Sorry about that. That was my fault.”

The apology came out so easily, as it was just Sasha in the room with her. It was just one person who was a witness to the moment when she admitted that something was her fault; it was very different from having numerous pairs of eyes on her after her brother had humiliated her in front of them with a few calm words. She had started it by insulting him— not in jest, but as a serious jab at his level of intelligence— and she knew that she deserved that, but her pride couldn’t take admitting to such a thing in front of so many spectators.

“Lovers' spats happen, Lady (Y/n). It’s al- I-” A quiet squeak escaped the girl’s lips as she realized her mistake. It was common knowledge that the Corporal and the Doctor had a fight, but they didn’t exactly announce it to everyone, so to be talking so freely about it was a really dumb move.

Surprisingly, instead of getting irritated at being the talk of the entire regiment, (Y/n) chuckled as a grin tugged at her lips. “We weren’t exactly being discrete about it during breakfast. Though that was more of my fault than Levi’s.” A brief pause, and then, “May I ask how he is as a squad leader? I’ve always been curious to know what goes on in his squad members’ minds about him. Don’t worry, I won’t tell.”

The cadet seemed to toss and turn the question in her head before deciding to trust the woman cleaning next to her. She took out another set of books before turning back to the doctor. “He always looks mad, but he’s a very fair captain. Also, he’s been a lot more lenient with us ever since… well, ever since you came here. The other day, my boots were dirty, and he just gave me two days of cleaning duty as punishment. He usually gave me two weeks.”

(Y/n) couldn’t hold back her smile even if she tried. “Thanks for telling me, Sasha. In turn, you can ask me something. That’s only fair, right?” 

Sasha’s eyes widened a fraction of an inch. She knew what she wanted to ask, but she was sure that it would be rude to ask someone that. It would help in allaying the entire Levi squad’s curiosity, but no sane person would ask someone— a Lady, even— such a question.

Her inner turmoil must have been evident on her face, because (Y/n) quirked an eyebrow at her. “You want to know why I love Levi.”

Sheepishly, the cadet nodded.

“There’s a lot of reasons. Even I’m not sure what all of them are.” (Y/n) felt her heart start beating harder in her chest, as she tried to think of something clearer to explain her feelings to the curious girl. “At first I was very taken by his good looks, but the more I got to know him… his little quirks, and his dry humor… I just fell in love.”

Her words were true, but had she gone more in-depth with them, she would have said that she was in love with every single thing about him. But the thing that she loved the most about him was how big his heart actually was. Levi tried to act all tough and shit, but she could see right through that façade of his. He cared so much that it was so hard to believe that such a gruff man could be capable of such empathy, but it was true.

Levi acted so cold to everyone because he believed that showing too much emotions was a weakness, but that didn’t mean that he didn’t feel anything. If he was as heartless as he made himself seem, then (Y/n) wouldn’t be the sole witness to the rare nights when he would cry over his losses; Farlan and Isabel, his former squad, his mother…

No one knew him as well as (Y/n) did; and no one loved him as much as (Y/n) did.

***

It was after dinner and, as the (L/n) heiress had opted to skip eating in favor of getting cleaned up after clearing out most of the junk in the infirmary, she found herself walking towards her trunk to dig out the stash of snacks that she kept hidden in there.

Just the thought of getting her hands on a butter biscuit sent her taste buds tingling in anticipation. It had been a while since she had last indulged in such a treat that she figured that she could eat an entire canister of those in one sitting. That was, until she remembered that she was getting the biscuits as a peace offering to Levi.

The corporal hadn’t expressed an outright approval of them, but the excitement in his eyes whenever (Y/n) served them to him when he visited her was enough proof that the man liked the biscuits with his tea, especially if the tea was jasmine. Had Levi been a man of more words, she didn’t doubt that he would be waxing poetic about how much the floral notes of the tea complimented the savory and mildly sweet flavor of the biscuit. 

A small smile stretched her lips as she dug out the canister from the bottom of the trunk, before she set off towards her lover’s room— after locking her own, of course.

Torches lit the dark hallways, yet they didn’t completely chase away the chill that came with the night. Her footsteps echoing off the cobblestone walls just added to the eerie feeling that someone was behind her, yet she pushed the feeling down and hastened over to Levi’s room without chancing a glance behind her.

Once she was near Levi’s room, however, her paranoia about having someone behind her was completely allayed by her own feelings of guilt and shame. Her stomach felt like it was in knots, and her head felt like it was filled with hot air as she came closer and closer to his door. She had half a mind to just leave the biscuits on the floor and make a run for it, but she knew that nothing would be solved if she kept on prolonging things.

So, when she stood in front of the Corporal’s door, she took a deep breath that did nothing to calm her jittery nerves, before knocking on the door. “Levi? It’s me. Please open the door.”

Nothing but the sharp crackle of the wooden torch as it burned answered her plea.

Softly, (Y/n) let out a small sigh and swallowed as she prepared herself to apologize through the damn door. Her eyes darted down to the canister in her hands, and she sucked in her bottom lip as she gathered her wits about her. “Please. I’m sorry I was such a bitch. I’ll make it up to you, I swear.”

“Then you can start by sucking my cock.” The familiar voice from behind her made her jump, but as she was about to turn around and face the man himself, his teeth gently bit down on the shell of her ear.

A shaky breath left the brunette’s lips as she nodded in acquiescence. “Anything, Levi.”

“Good.” With that his lips descended down to the side of her neck, where he sucked and bit at her skin until she was sure that he had left his mark. “I’m going to make you scream all night.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ayyyy! Smut in the next chapter! I promiiiiise. <3
> 
> Thank you guys soooo much for the comments in the last chapter! They were sincerely overwhelming! Like oh my god!!!!! I will reply to them when I wake up in the morning, because right now my head is killing me. But I will reply, I swear on Levi's life.
> 
> But shoutouts to **Kat26, Kellyyween, and Chae!!!!!** Thank you guys soooooo much! <3


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smut ahoy!!!!

Her heart was beating so frantically in her chest that it felt like it had jumped up into her throat, with the degree of difficulty that she had in breathing. Her entire body felt like it was being consumed by an inferno, what with Levi pressing her front against the back of the door. The canister of butter cookies had clattered on the floor long ago, but no one paid it any mind as the Corporal lavished her neck with kisses— all while grinding his clothed erection against her ass.

“I’m going to fuck you so hard,” Levi rasped against the bruised skin of (Y/n)’s neck. “You won’t be able to walk tomorrow.”

“Please, Levi,” the brunette whimpered as she forced her hands to stay still where her lover had them pinned above her head.

A low chuckle passed through the captain’s lips, as he unfastened the hook at the back of (Y/n)’s pencil skirt and let it pool at her feet. The sight that greeted him pleased him immensely, as it was of her sheer, white panties clinging tightly to her ass cheeks. Her cunt was in full display to him, and it made him even harder when he saw just how wet she was for him.

(Y/n) gasped aloud when she felt Levi’s fingers push the crotch of her panties aside to tease her entrance with his fingers. She bit back another gasp when he pushed his index and middle fingers in to the knuckle.

“Fuck, you’re still so tight,” the raven-haired man grunted as he started pumping his fingers in and out of (Y/n)’s wet cunt. He curled the digits inside her, and started rubbing against that spot inside her that he knew drove her wild. “What do you want, (Y/n)? Do you want to cum around my fingers?”

Levi wasn’t disappointed at all, because the woman beneath him moaned aloud as her knees buckled under her. It was just a good thing that Levi was still holding her by her wrists, because it saved her from hitting her face against the door. “I want to suck your cock, Levi.”

A smirk curled the Corporal’s lips as he retracted his fingers from his lover, with the lewd sound of her wetness echoing in the room. He then buried his face in her neck and bit down on a relatively bruise-free area. It wasn’t hard enough to draw blood, but it was hard enough to make the brunette mewl in a mix of pleasure and pain.

“Strip,” was Levi’s only reply, as he unclamped his hands from her wrists.

Slowly, as her legs were a tad shaky from her lover’s assault on her g-spot, (Y/n) turned around and hastily unbuttoned the white shirt that she had changed into after her shower. She silently patted herself on the back for wearing a matching set of underwear.

It wasn’t that she was expecting to be fucked by Levi— not at all— but a tiny voice inside her head had kept nagging her to put some nice lingerie on, in case he did decide to have some kinky make-up and reunion sex with her. If she were to be honest, she was looking forward to the make-up sex half of things, because Levi got so rough whenever they were making up. He was relentless with his movements and, at times, he tried out really kinky positions that always served to bring (Y/n) to high heaven and back.

Hands down, Levi was a fucking sex god. Though she didn’t have any other basis for comparison, she was just **sure** that no one could hold a candle to her Corporal. She was willing to bet her entire inheritance on it.

Once her shirt was off and discarded next to her skirt, (Y/n) toed off her boots and socks, and nudged them to the side before she sank down on to her knees. Her hands placed themselves on Levi’s thighs, caressing the toned flesh beneath his trousers, then moving up to undo the button and pull his zipper down.

She pulled the waist of his pants down, which caused his erection to bob up and down in front of her face. (Y/n) licked her lips in anticipation, then leaned forward to suck at the head of his cock through the fabric of his boxers. By that point, her panties were even more soaked than before.

Levi groaned in pleasure as his hand flew into the brunette’s wavy hair. He fisted her hair tightly in his right hand to anchor her in place, just as he pulled his cock out from his underwear and rubbed the tip along her lips. His pre-cum smearing over her mouth was one of the most erotic sights that he had ever seen; second only to seeing her fucking herself on his cock without abandon.

(Y/n) opened her mouth and let her tongue dart out to tease Levi’s slit, before sinking down on his cock without so much as a sharp inhale. The familiar taste of his dick only served to jog the brunette’s memory of the many nights that she had done this with him yet, this time, it was made even better after their long separation. She missed Levi’s cock so much; the man himself, even more so.

Her mouth bobbed up and down on his hard cock with such ease that Levi’s eyes were closed in pleasure, all while his breaths came in heavy pants. However, grey eyes flew open in surprise when (Y/n) unlatched herself from his erection and licked a stripe up all the way from his balls, up to his tip. And then, as if that wasn’t surprising enough, the brunette took Levi’s left scrotum into her mouth and played with it, while her right hand jerked him off.

It was shameful for the captain to admit it, but it didn’t take long for him to cum after that. He didn’t even get the chance to pull away from her face when she put her mouth back on the tip of his cock and took all of his cum on her tongue.

“Fuck me,” the Corporal cursed breathlessly as he stared down at the woman at his feet. She opened her mouth wider to show him his cum on her tongue, before making a show of closing her lips and swallowing everything.

“That was tasty, but I’d rather have you cum in my pussy, Captain Levi,” (Y/n) whispered saucily, then winked at the raven-haired man.

In response, Levi grasped her face by her chin and slammed his mouth down against hers. He tasted the remnants of his own release in her mouth, but that didn’t gross him out; in fact, it only made his dick rise up for another round. “Come,” he whispered against her lips.

“Didn’t you just do that?” was the brunette’s catty response. Yet, even as she said that, she got up on her feet and let her lover lead her to his attached bedroom.

Once in the bedroom, Levi wasted no time. He pulled (Y/n) by her hand towards the bed and sat down by the edge of the mattress, before pulling her to straddle his lap. Hell, he didn’t even care about much else as he ripped the panties off of her, which elicited an incredulous yelp from her. “That was silk lace, Levi!”

“I’ll get you a new one,” the captain grumbled as his fingers toyed with her clit.

There wasn’t any protest from the brunette as she wrapped her arms around her lover’s neck and surrendered herself to the pleasure that he was bestowing upon her. With every pass of the pads of his fingers against her sopping entrance, as well as her clit, uncontrollable moans escaped her throat. A scream, however, was ripped from her lips when Levi thrusted three fingers inside her and stretched them out inside her to prepare her for his thick cock.

“Please, Levi, no more foreplay. I need your cock inside me,” the brunette mewled helplessly as her lover kept thrusting his fingers in and out of her sopping cunt.

With a grunt, the Corporal pulled his finger free from the tight confines of her pussy, before bringing his hand up to his mouth and licking those three digits clean— all while his eyes pinned her under his intense gaze.

Slowly, the corner of his mouth lifted into a devious smirk. “Help yourself. Fuck yourself on my cock.”

“With pleasure,” (Y/n) practically purred as she aligned herself to her lover’s stiff dick with her right hand, then slowly sank down on him. She buried her face against the crook of Levi’s neck and bit down on his skin to muffle her cries of pleasure, while Levi kept whispering filthy words in her ear. Things like:

“My cock feels so good in your tight cunt, (Y/n).”

“Did you miss how fucking good I can make you feel?”

“Say my name.” To which she would respond with a loud mewl of his name.

And her new personal favorite:

“Should I keep cumming inside you until I get you pregnant?”

The last one came as a shock to both parties; even more so to Levi himself, because he had **never** expected **himself** to ever utter words with the sentiment of tying himself down. His eyes were wide in disbelief as he tried to reign his panicked feelings back in. He almost wanted to stop things, had he not felt just how tight (Y/n) had gotten after he had asked her that question.

Her walls were spasming wildly around him that it was erasing the uncomfortable feeling of apprehension inside him. And her louder moans were bringing him back to their reality, instead of letting his words get the better of him.

Levi knew that, deep down, he wanted to marry (Y/n). But starting a family was another thing altogether. He wasn’t very fond of children, and he was sure that she had never even mentioned the topic of having babies with him. He briefly wondered why he had uttered the words, when he wasn’t even sure of how he felt about having a family. Was he getting to the age that he just wanted to settle down? He wasn’t sure.

And it wasn’t as if he could just settle down with the titans still running rampant, and with Marley fucking up Paradis to eradicate all Eldians.

He was, once again, brought back to the present by the most enticing answer that he had ever had whispered to him. “I want you to get me pregnant, Levi. Please.”

(Y/n)’s hips moved faster on his cock, and his hands anchored themselves to her hips to help guide her. The sign of his impending release must have shown on his face, because when the woman in his lap pulled her face away from his neck, she shot him the sweetest smile that he had ever seen.

His heart swelled in his chest at the breathtaking sight, and he couldn’t resist the pull of her lips. So, he slanted his mouth against her and snaked his tongue into her mouth just to feel closer to her. And he did… just not because of the kiss, but because of their mutual understanding that they wanted to be together permanently.

They didn’t even have a label for whatever their relationship was, as they had naturally gravitated back towards each other and went on from there. And that was just one other thing that he had to rectify soon. He didn’t want to say anything in fear of rocking the proverbial boat, but now that he had some semblance of confirmation from her, then he was going to tough it out and take it like a man.

“I love you, Levi,” (Y/n) gasped in pleasure, her thighs quivering as her release wracked through her body. She lay limp against her lover’s torso as he pushed his cock so far into her that his pelvis was flush against hers and, with a breathless moan, Levi filled her up with his warm cum.

The two lay there in the dark for a few minutes, with the Corporal planting butterfly kisses along the (L/n) heiress’ neck and shoulder. “I love you too. So fucking much.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! I hope that was alright? I haven't written smut in a while, so I'm trying to re-learn the ropes. But things will get better, I promise! <3
> 
> Shoutouts to **Chae and CrystalCaelum**. You guys are my two constants here. Thank you sooo much! <3
> 
> Also, I know that Levi and the Reader got together just like that, but it's all part of the plot. >:D Everything is tied to the plot, so yes, I hope you guys look forward to that turning point. <3


	14. Chapter 14

“Oh, Levi!” Hange cried out in a teasing lilt as soon as she saw the love bites that adorned her friend’s neck. “Someone had fun last night.”

The captain’s hands twitched as he forced himself to keep from touching the area that wasn’t covered by his cravat. Still, he couldn’t hide the light blush that colored the tops of his cheeks. It wasn’t that he was embarrassed by having done it with (Y/n), his feelings had more to do with remembering all the things he had said to the brunette that was still asleep in his bed. “Fuck off, Four eyes.”

“I would, but this is prime teasing material, Levi. I can’t just let this go.” The scientist cackled as she clapped her hands in glee. Levi only responded to her happiness with a roll of his eyes and a prompt exit.

He wanted to drink his tea in the dining hall so as not to wake (Y/n), but that idea was blown out of the water as soon as Hange opened her loud mouth. By then, all of the early cadets in the hall were trying to be discreet as the gossiped about him, which he dismissed with a click of his tongue as he disappeared behind the doors leading to the kitchen.

As he set about making a pot of tea for him and (Y/n), his thoughts drifted back to his words to her last night.

_‘Should I keep cumming inside you until I get you pregnant?’_

Goosebumps rose on his skin, and he shook himself out of the light stupor that he was in. He wasn’t appalled by the idea; far from it, really. It seemed that he was **happy** about it; excited, even. But those feelings were dampened when the reality of their situation came crashing down on him once more.

It wasn’t the time or place to have children. Then again, when would it be a good time to have them? He was only alive once, and he knew that he had to make the most of it while he still could… but to bring them into this hellhole was not something that he wanted for his future son or daughter. Sure, it was better than being born in the underground, but no matter where they went, they would still suffer. 

If (Y/n) and their child would go back to Marley now, he had no doubt that they would be persecuted the moment that people found out. Hell, he was sure that his child would be killed the very second that those damn Marleyans knew that the father was an Eldian. That was the last thing that he wanted for his family.

Should they stay in Paradis, though… he had no doubt that the child would live in luxury, but there was no guarantee that the safety that he provided was absolute. People thought that he was infallible, but he was also only human— just more skilled than most.

The kettle whistling on the stove brought his attention back to the present and, with a low curse, he waited for the water to cool down a little before pouring it over the tea leaves.

***

Blue eyes stared flatly at the ceiling, really unseeing to the ray of sunshine that was illuminating the flat white wood. (Y/n)’s hands rested gently over her lower abdomen, and her fingers turned and twisted the soft fabric of Levi’s sheets as she mulled things over in her mind.

The heaviness in her words last night didn’t faze her now; she was wholeheartedly set on having kids with Levi. What was bothering her, though, was how he would take the reality of their situation. She wasn’t sure if it was a heat of the moment thing for him, or if he truly wanted it as well, but telling her that he wanted to have children with her was akin to making a lifelong promise to stay together.

Yes, there were children whose parents separated when their relationship didn’t work, but she’d be damned if she let her kids grow up without a dad. Levi didn’t necessarily have to stay with her— though she knew it would hurt like hell— if they found that married life wasn’t for them, but he would **have** to stay in their children’s lives. It was his duty as a father to do that. 

As much as she didn’t want to compare Levi to her father, or her grandfathers, she still had that niggling voice in the back of her mind that kept asking: _‘What if he doesn’t stay just like they did for their wives?’_

_What if he didn’t love her enough to stay?_

_What if he grows tired of her someday?_

_What if he ends up **hating** her for tying him down?_

She couldn’t even bear to think about how she would feel if Levi ended up with ill feelings towards her; just like she had for him when he left. But, most of all, she was terrified of her own feelings towards him.

_What if I end up falling out of love with him?_

The last question had a very miniscule chance of happening, but she wasn’t cancelling it out, because she had seen it happen to couples who swore their eternal love to each other. Hell, she had seen it happen to her own parents.

They weren’t Yuliana and Arvid (L/n), but there was still a possibility that she and Levi could stop loving each other when the time came. And that possibility scared her to no end.

“ _Oi_ , you’re finally awake.” The gruff voice shocked (Y/n) out of her thoughts, and her eyes darted towards the door of Levi’s bedroom— where the man himself was coming in with a tray of tea and bread balanced on his right hand. “I got you some breakfast.”

The brunette sat upright after tucking the edges of the sheet beneath her biceps, and worried her lower lip between her teeth as she tried to find the words to broach the subject that had been bothering her since she woke up. “Levi, we need to talk.”

Levi’s heart felt like it had crumbled in his chest at her words. He didn’t feel fear much, but it was running rampant through his veins at that moment. His entire body felt cold, and his head felt like it was going to explode. “Have you changed your mind?”

(Y/n) shook her head and patted the empty space beside her. “No. I still want a family with you, but are **you** sure that you want it? I mean, what if you end up thinking that starting a family with me was a mistake?”

“The only thing I’ve ever regretted,” the Corporal began quietly as he sat down beside (Y/n), after setting their tray down on the night stand. He gently took her chin between his fingers, then turned her face so that his eyes were staring intently into hers. “Was fucking leaving you, (Y/n).”

Tears pricked the backs of the (L/n) heiress’ eyes, and she tried to blink them away— to no avail. Slowly, her tears rolled down her cheeks, and Levi wiped the ones on her left cheek away with the pad of his thumb. His heart clenched in his chest at the physical evidence of her sadness, but he could only lean in close once more and press his lips to the very top of her forehead.

“I didn’t know then just how much of an idiot I was being, but there hasn’t been a day that I didn’t want to punch myself for letting you go.” He paused to press his lips lightly to the brunette’s forehead, then skimmed his lips down to the space between her furrowed brows. “I still don’t know if what we’re doing is the right thing to do, but I want you; I want a family with you. I want little brats that look like us running around and fucking shit up. I want that life with you. Now, I’m asking you: **do you want it with me**?"

(Y/n)’s eyes widened a fraction of an inch in surprise, and she blinked the shock away immediately so she could nod. Her tears kept marring her cheeks, but they were ones of happiness now, rather than sadness. “Of course, Levi.”

Her head felt so full of ideas: baby names, possible career changes for after everything is sorted, home ideas… **everything** that entailed a life with Levi. She was excited and apprehensive at the same time, but the former outweighed the latter; especially when the raven-haired man continued…

“There are a lot of things that we still have to talk about, but agreeing to this means **permanence** between us.” Suddenly, his throat got all thick— as if he was choking on thin air, and he immediately deduced the reason for that to be nervousness. He was fucking nervous. Then again, who wouldn’t be when he was basically proposing in the least romantic of ways? “It means marrying me-”

“ **YES** , Levi! Yes! I accept!” (Y/n) practically screamed in delight as she wrapped her arms around the Corporal. In her excitement, she started peppering his face with kisses— which the man thoroughly enjoyed. By then, the tears had ceased and in their place was an ecstatic grin on her face; she was overjoyed at the question— no matter how unlike her dream proposal it was.

No girl ever envisioned the love of their life to propose to them after so much reunion sex, in the midst of the Survey Corps headquarters, while sitting in bed with only a sheet to cover their modesty. Yet, to (Y/n), the situation couldn’t have been more perfect. It was so ‘her and Levi’ that it made the situation more special.

And then, the reality of the situation came crashing down upon (Y/n) like a ton of bricks. Her arms slackened their hold around Levi, while her happy expression slowly fell into a mix of a forlorn and stupefied. Slowly, she breathed out, “Oh fuck, this means you have to meet my mother.”

Levi merely quirked an eyebrow at the brunette in his lap; though, on the inside, his gut was churning with so much nervousness. When he felt nothing at meeting her brother, then this was another thing entirely. He didn’t have **any** experience with meeting mothers with the intent of asking for their blessing, but he’d be damned if he let (Y/n) sense his apprehension. “It’s just your mother.”

A catty smile slowly stretched (Y/n)’s lips, and she leaned down to peck her lover’s lips. “Well, with or without her blessing, I’m still marrying you. But I’m sure that you’ll charm her into accepting you as her son-in-law tomorrow.”

 ** _Tomorrow_**!? Levi’s brain practically screamed at him. His face must have been a mask of shock, because a giggle left the (L/n) heiress’ lips, before she trailed kisses down to his neck and slowly started kissing and sucking at the skin above his cravat. “Why tomorrow?”

“We’re getting my medical supplies, remember? And we’re taking **Alexei** to see her.” She practically hissed her brother’s name, to which Levi responded by placing his hands on either side of her hips, and rubbing at the exposed skin with his thumbs.

“You have to talk to your brother sooner or later.”

“I’ll take later. For now, I just want to fuck you, my darling **fiancé**.”

Levi would never admit to it, but he loved the sound of that. Maybe even as much as he loved hearing her moans as he fucked her into bliss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone!!! Sorry I was gone for a day. I had things to do and people to see. <3  
> But I hope you guys like this chapter.  
> Please don't hesitate to tell me what things seemed off, and which parts you liked. I would gladly accept your comments. <3 Thank you!!!!


	15. Chapter 15

“Do we have to ride with him?” (Y/n) whined petulantly as Levi led her out to where the carriage was waiting for them.

The raven-haired man clicked his tongue and shot his fiancée a sideways glare. The term was relatively new to him, and it didn’t help to calm the bottomless pit that he felt growing in his stomach. He felt something akin to giddiness whenever he mentally referred to (Y/n) as his future wife; it was like all things were right in the world. “You’re acting like a brat again, (Y/n).” 

An indignant scoff left the brunette’s lips, as she rolled her eyes at her lover. She knew that he was right, but that didn’t mean that she was just going to admit it to him. Still, she quietly fell into step beside him and followed him to the waiting carriage. 

In a very un-Levi-like fashion, the Corporal opened the door for (Y/n), and held a hand out to help her get up on the vehicle. He felt the numerous eyes boring into the back of his head, but he paid them no mind as he got in after his fiancée. 

Once the door to the carriage closed behind Levi, though, all the members of his squad exchanged bewildered looks at what they had just seen their captain do. It was like they had seen a miracle transpire, with the degree of their astonished expressions.

“Was it just me or did that really happen?” Eren asked, blinking rapidly as if it would help clear his befuddled mind. 

“That just happened,” Jean stated smugly in answer to the titan shifter. “You would know just how in love those two are if you’d been the one sent to the infirmary yesterday.”

“And Jean wouldn’t have known if I didn’t tell him,” Sasha countered with a guffaw, as she mounted her horse.

“Whatever, Sasha!” Jean snapped irately as he got in the back of the cart that was transporting most of them to Mitras.

Inside the carriage, though, the occupants weren’t faring much better than the squabbling soldiers outside. (Y/n) had her arms crossed over her chest, while her eyes were narrowed in irritation at her brother— who sat across from her.

“I think I’d rather have Ludwig in here, this one’s taking up too much space— see, he has the entire bench to himself.” The younger (L/n) curled her upper lip in blatant distaste as she stared her brother down.

In turn, Alexei quirked an eyebrow at his sister and smirked. “If it’s too crowded for you, then why don’t you man the helm— instead of Ludwig?”

Completely incensed, an angry huff escaped (Y/n)’s nose. A blush rose up to her cheeks in embarrassment, as her gaze faltered for the briefest of seconds. However, she pinned them back on her brother in a show of false bravado. “I would, if I wasn’t wearing a fucking dress, you currish worm.”

Levi wanted to hit his head against the side of the carriage, in the hopes that he would get knocked out before the argument between the (L/n) siblings went full-force. He could have said **something** to shut those two up, but he figured that they needed to hash out whatever disagreement was happening between them.

“ **Currish worm**? I’m glad to see that you haven’t lost that penchant for creative insults; ever the flap-mouthed barnacle, aren’t you?” Alexei faked a smile, then gritted his teeth when (Y/n) lashed out and kicked his shin. “Do you **want** me to throw you out of this carriage?” 

“Yeah, I’d like to see you **try** , you underfucked cunt.” (Y/n) taunted as she got all up in her brother’s face, only to stumble forward and knock her forehead against his when the vehicle started moving. Luckily for her, Alexei caught her before she fell to the floor.

Silence reigned in the enclosed space, with the siblings looking at each other dumbly while rubbing their respective foreheads, while Levi sat in his seat with his head bowed and his fingers pinching the bridge of his nose.

A few more seconds passed, with just the clacking of hooves against the pavement— as well as the slow lurch of the wheels against the ground— breaking the thick silence. Until a snicker came from the older (L/n) sibling. “Underfucked cunt? Really, (Y/n)?” 

Gingerly, the (L/n) heiress sat back in her seat with a smile threatening to tug at her lips. Try as she might, though, she couldn’t quite tamp it down; and so was grinning at her brother as she answered, “It seemed appropriate for your situation.” 

“And it isn’t appropriate for **yours**?” Alexei shot back, his eyes shining with mirth, while his lips stretched over his teeth in a teasing grin. 

(Y/n) quirked an eyebrow before shaking her head. “Hell no. I’m the one in a steady engagement here, so no.” 

“Engagement?” The smile fell from Alexei’s lips, and his eyes immediately darted to Levi. Blue eyes met grey ones, and both pairs simultaneously narrowed as they tried to out-glare the other. “I don’t even know what to say to you right now.” 

The Corporal wanted to roll his eyes, but held himself back in favor of answering, “How about ‘Welcome to the family, Levi’? That sounds appropriate enough.”

“Before you start killing each other, I just want to say a few things.” (Y/n) looked over at Levi and placed a hand on his thigh. “Be nice, please.” Then turned to her brother with a no-nonsense look on her face. “I’m marrying Levi whether you like it or not.”

“But it’s too soon!” Alexei protested. “You’re rushing into this.”

“We’ve been together for five years, Alexei.” The younger of the siblings answered matter-of-factly. Her tone was so absolute that it warranted no protest from her older brother yet, deep down, her heart was hammering so hard in her chest; both in disappointment at how he had reacted to the news, and in nervousness at how her mother would react. 

From beside her, Levi was thinking much the same things as she was. His expression remained impassive— as if Alexei (L/n)’s response to his engagement to (Y/n) didn’t bother him at all. But he couldn’t exactly scowl until the other man changed his mind. He just had to put in more effort to get Yuliana (L/n)’s approval.

For all her bravado at swearing up and down that she would still marry him, with or without her family’s approval, Levi just knew that it would still bother her. She would try to keep it from him, until she eventually couldn’t bear something so emotionally heavy and ended up sharing her burden with him.

He didn’t care what anyone said about him, but if it affected (Y/n) in any way… well, he wasn’t sure what he was going to do. One thing was for sure, though: he would never let her go again.

***

Hours had passed, and (Y/n)’s butt was already so sore from sitting so long, when the sight of the familiar estate grew closer and closer in the distance. It was the first time that the brunette was ecstatic at arriving at the damn place. 

Once the carriage was at a full stop, (Y/n) didn’t even wait for anyone to open the door for her. She practically threw herself out of the vehicle and stretched her body with a very unladylike groan. 

From where she stood at the porch, Yuliana (L/n) tutted in disappointment as she hastened towards her daughter. As soon as she was close enough, she tugged the waist of her daughter’s dress down and slapped away the hands that tried to shoo off her own hands. “Mother, **please**. I’m not a child.” 

“I’m well-aware, (Y/n). Which is why you have to find a husband soon,” Yuliana smiled warmly at her daughter, whose face held a self-satisfied smirk; akin to a cat that got the cream. Or, rather, a woman who had just gotten engaged. 

“Yes, yes. A husband, sure. But have I told you that one half of your prodigal sons is home?” As soon as the words left her mouth, Alexei exited the carriage and proceeded to hug his mother. Meanwhile, (Y/n) took a step away from the mother-son pair and gravitated back towards Levi— tucking her hand in his and lacing their fingers together as a show of her silent support.

As much as the youngest (L/n) wanted to bombard her mother with surprises, she figured at the last minute that too many good things all at once may just be enough to give her a heart attack; so she refrained from doing so. She may have not seen eye-to-eye with her mother, but she didn’t want to be the woman’s reason of death. 

_Death by surprise, all because her brat of a daughter’s finally getting married._ (Y/n) snorted humorously at the thought.

“What’s so funny?” Levi muttered quietly, as he sent the woman beside him a sideways glance.

“Nothing, my dear husband-to-be,” (Y/n) sing-songed quietly, only to burst into a fit of giggles when she saw the blush that tinted Levi’s cheeks. She knew that Levi had to keep a professional façade with his soldiers, but she couldn’t help it… she went up on her toes and pressed a kiss to the corner of his lips.

 ** _Cute!_** Her mind practically screamed at her when she pulled away and saw the mildly surprised look on her fiancé’s face. _How did I ever get so lucky?_

“ **What**!? (Y/n) (L/n)! Come here **this instant**!” Yuliana screeched so loudly that it made almost everyone wince. Her following words, however, were enough to make everyone’s gaze snap towards the man in question. “And bring your fiancé with you!” 

“So much for being discreet,” the (L/n) heiress grumbled under her breath, but proceeded to walk towards her mother— hand-in-hand with Levi. 

A quiet chorus of ‘what’s and other various exclamations of disbelief echoed behind the Corporal, and he sent his squad a sharp look to silence them. It was very effective, as everyone snapped to attention and straightened up where they were standing.

“Brigitte, please make our guests comfortable.” With that, the blonde housekeeper bowed to the matriarch of the house before ushering the Survey Corps soldiers— as well as Ludwig— into the house. Then, those trademark (L/n) eyes met Levi’s grey ones in silent assessment. “Why don’t we take this somewhere more comfortable?”

No one said a word as Yuliana led the way towards the living room; the very same one that (Y/n) had thought she was getting engaged to Erwin Smith. The young woman almost wanted to smack herself for jumping to such a conclusion. In her defense, though, she knew that it wasn’t beneath her mother to arrange a marriage of convenience for her.

Once all of them were seated, with (Y/n) and Levi sitting next to each other, the inquisition began. There wasn’t even any pleasantries or any fluff as Yuliana (L/n) spoke.

“Where are you two going to live?” 

Levi hadn’t considered any other option except the Survey Corps headquarters— as both of them did work for the regiment— but now that he thought about it, it wasn’t exactly an ideal place to start a family. Maybe if it were just him and (Y/n) for a couple of years, then it would be fine to live there. But there was no way in hell that he was going to raise his future children in such a place. “I have money saved up to buy a house anywhere (Y/n) wants.” 

It was the money that he was saving up for his tea shop, yet his retirement plan paled in comparison to his future with the love of his life. He was willing to spend everything he had on a house that was worthy of (Y/n). 

“Are you going to allow her to keep working?” Yuliana quirked a regal eyebrow, and the Corporal felt (Y/n) gently squeeze his hand to remind him that she was there for him. He looked down at their intertwined hands for a brief second, before glancing up into his fiancée’s eyes. She offered him such a sweet and encouraging smile that it made his heart ache in his chest.

“We haven’t talked about it, but if (Y/n) wants to work, then she can.” Levi answered politely— as politely as he could— then started rubbing the pad of his thumb against her knuckles. It was more to calm his nerves than hers. “She’s never been one to sit around at home while waiting for me.”

“And what about children?” It could have just been a trick of Levi’s imagination, but he thought he saw genuine excitement in the (L/n) matriarch’s eyes. Old women wanting grandchildren was one thing he would never get. “Do you plan on having them?”

“Yes. Though the situation right now isn’t ideal at all for having children. Then again, there’s no real right time to have them.” 

Alexei, unsurprisingly, looked stupefied at Levi’s answer. His expression was a cross between incensed and bewildered that it wouldn’t shock (Y/n) that he would explode soon. To further add insult to injury, she made a face at him before poking her tongue out in a taunting gesture. 

“What last name will you be giving my daughter?”

(Y/n)’s eyes widened at the extremely rude question. “Mother-!”

“Ackerman.” Levi whispered, testing the way that the last name felt on his tongue. He had just recently found out about his family through Kenny and, it was bittersweet, but he felt a twinge of relief at finally knowing his real origins. No more ‘ _Just Levi’_ for him. “She’s going to be an Ackerman.”

 _Mrs. (Y/n) Ackerman_. The (L/n) heiress had to bite her bottom lip to suppress a goofy smile. Frankly, she was surprised that Levi finally knew his surname, but now was hardly the time to question him about the ‘how’ of things. Instead, she squeezed his hand and pressed her lips to the edge of his shoulder.

The Corporal looked back at her and leaned in to press his lips to the crown of her head. Her eyes were full of curiosity, but they were sincere in showing their love and acceptance of him. “Thank you,” he whispered softly against her skin.

Yuliana bit back a wide smile at the scene unfolding in front of her. It was the first time that she had seen her daughter in such an affectionate display— that she wanted to get someone to paint the scene. Her heart felt like it was soaring as the Corporal returned her daughter’s affections. She felt like she could finally go in peace, as there was someone who loved and understood her daughter as much as she did.

It seemed that her plan to get those two back together had worked, after all. Her plan was too good, as it worked so fast. She mentally reminded herself to thank Greta and Brigitte for sharing what they knew about (Y/n) and Levi’s relationship. 

The (L/n) matriarch’s hands were folded in her lap as she regarded the couple in front of her. She wanted to ask the very question that was asked of her own husband, when her parents talked to them, but it seemed that it wasn’t needed in this situation. The answer to that was very blatant in her eyes. 

Levi Ackerman was head over heels in love with her daughter. 

So, with a nod, she said, “Welcome to the family, Levi. I look forward to officially having you as my son-in-law.”


	16. Chapter 16

“You know, Levi, in a way this is my childhood bedroom,” (Y/n) whispered coyly as she unabashedly placed her hand on the Corporal’s crotch. A catty smile lit up her features, yet her hand moved no further than to fondle Levi’s slowly growing erection. “I’d really love it if you could fuck me on every available surface in this room.”

As much as the raven-haired man wanted to give in and fuck her until dinner was ready, he still had so many things to do. So, with a heavy heart, he encircled his fingers around (Y/n)’s wrist and pulled her hand up, so that it rested against his chest. “I’m… sorry, (Y/n). Maybe tonight.”

The apology tasted foreign on his tongue, but he had an inkling that— maybe— he should get used to saying it to her all the time. Because, whether he liked it or not, she would **always** be right during arguments. Even if she was wrong, she would still be right. That was how it was going to be, unless he wanted to have blue balls for the rest of eternity.

Surprisingly, the brunette took it well enough. She huffed a sigh, but still leaned up on her toes and pressed her lips to his. “Fine. Go do your Captain duties; I’ll be right outside.”

 _Alright, maybe this isn’t going to be so bad._ Levi thought to himself— a small smile on his face— as he watched the love of his life sashay out of the door. Unlike all the times she had walked away from him, however, she turned back to face him and shot him a wink. 

“I love you, Levi.” She chirped teasingly, then started giggling at the sight of the blush that colored her fiancé’s cheeks. _Too cute!_ Her mind gushed. 

With that, she closed the door behind her, then decided to preoccupy herself with a nice ride out in the pasture.

***

“Hello, Lady (Y/n),” Hans— her former footman and horse attendant— greeted jovially as she entered the stables on her mother’s property. She had transferred him to work for her mother while she was gone, as she didn’t have the heart to dismiss the man from his duties. Luckily, her mother was in-need of a horse attendant, so he was accepted easily. 

A smile lit up the (L/n) heiress’ face, and she clapped the man’s shoulder. “Glad to see you’re doing well, Hans.”

“Likewise, my Lady. Are you here to take Sable out for a ride?” The taller man asked. His green eyes were alight at seeing his mistress’ familiar face, even as his gaze never flitted away from where he was taking (Y/n)’s usual saddle from the peg it was on. 

“Yeah. It’s been so long since I’ve been on a horse; I must be getting rusty.” The brunette laughed at the self-deprecating joke.

“I’ve heard that the Survey Corps has a lot of horses; horses that were selectively bred for their speed,” Hans mused as he saddled up the black Hanoverian horse. It had been her horse ever since she moved to Paradis, and she loved the animal well enough, but she had to admit that she missed riding in cars and, hell, the balloon aircraft. 

She had zoned out to memories of modern means of transportation, because Hans had to wave a hand in front of her face to get her to focus on the present. “Oh, sorry. Are you done saddling her up, Hans?”

“Yes, my Lady. She’s all ready to go.”

With a nod and a quiet word of thanks, (Y/n) patted the horse’s muzzle affectionately before mounting the sidesaddle on its back. Hans handed her the reigns as well as a leather riding crop, and after thanking him one more time, she set out of the stable. 

The moment that Sable was outside, (Y/n) urged her to go for a gallop around the main house— jumping over fences, hedges, and other small obstacles in the way. The wind whipped her hair back, but she paid it no mind as she pushed the horse to jump the chest-height hedge that separated the house from the pasture.

When she was safely on the ground, the brunette patted the mare’s neck happily with an exhilarated laugh. “Good girl, Sable.” 

“What!?” The astonished exclamations made the (L/n) heiress look up from her horse. Her eyes widened a fraction of an inch when she saw Levi’s squad members all rushing to crowd around her.

“You’re sitting sideways on the horse, Lady (Y/n)!” Eren pointed out incredulously; as if she had just said that titans were just a figment of their imaginations. “That’s amazing!”

Sable fidgeted a little as the soldiers got a bit too close, but (Y/n) calmed her down with a comforting hand on her neck. “Thank you, but this is nothing compared to standing on your mounts, Eren.” 

A blush colored the tops of the boy’s cheeks, yet he still beamed at the older woman. “We could teach you how, if you want.” 

Every single one of the titan shifter’s squad mates sent him wide-eyed looks at his stupid suggestion. All of them knew that putting the Doctor in any semblance of danger would warrant their Captain’s ire; nobody wanted to know what came after ire, more so now that those two were engaged. Maybe the Corporal would really hang someone in the courtyard and beat them to a bloody pulp, if they caused harm to his fiancée in any way.

“Do you want to die, Eren?” Armin hissed at his childhood friend. “Captain Levi will **murder** you if Lady (Y/n) gets hurt.” 

To the group’s surprise, the Lady that Armin was referring to let out a loud laugh. “Armin’s right, Eren. As much as I would like to learn how to stand on a galloping horse, I’d rather not have your blood on my hands. I can only hold Levi back so much.” With a salacious grin, the brunette added, “But that doesn’t mean that all of you can’t give me a few _‘tips’_ , though.”

With that, the cadets all nodded enthusiastically— and (Y/n) thought that they would have saluted, had she not quirked an eyebrow at their ramrod straight backs— as she dismounted her horse and tied her up to the balustrade on the porch; all thoughts of riding pushed to the back of her mind.

And so, that was how she found herself spending her afternoon: sitting in the grass, surrounded by her fiancé’s squad, and talking about tips on how to stand on a running horse— which then diverted into a myriad of other topics that had them talking for hours. 

“So you really kicked her out after she did that?” Connie asked excitedly, even going so much as to lean forward in his seat while waiting for their new-found friend’s answer. 

(Y/n) nodded with a grin. “Of course. I wasn’t going to have an assistant that lied to my patients. We all took an oath, and honesty is included in there… somewhere.” 

“Is that how you met Greta?” Armin piped up from his seat beside Eren— just two places away from (Y/n).

The woman shook her head. “Greta has been my housekeeper ever since I moved to Mitras from Yarckel.” At least, as far as her _‘story’_ went that’s where she was from. She was just thankful that Greta proved to be a very loyal confidant because, if she weren’t, then the entire population of Paradis would have imploded already. “I taught her all the basic things that she needs to know, but that was how she came to be my assistant.”

“Why isn’t she here now, though? She should be with us, right?” Jean asked curiously. His eyebrows quirked up in inquiry, which (Y/n) returned with a quirked eyebrow of her own. 

“She went ahead two days ago so that she could pack all of the things I left behind at my house, as well as all of the things that I have at the clinic.” A teasing grin stretched the brunette’s lips and, with that answered, they shifted to another topic. 

“How did you and Captain Levi meet?”

The grin on the (L/n) heiress’ lips waned down into a wistful smile as she was brought back to the moment that she met the love of her life. Her chest simultaneously felt light and heavy at the memory, as her stomach filled up with butterflies. Even after all these years, going back to that night still made her feel like a giddy teenager. 

She wished that it would always make her feel that way. 

“Well, it wasn’t romantic at all. We met a party after I tripped over his foot.” A light laugh permeated the air, and the scouts all leaned in closer in a show of their unwavering attention. “I got so mad at him and called him shorter than a footstool— which was why I didn’t see him. He looked **so** mad, and I walked away from him then. Let’s just say that he followed me into the garden… and the rest was history.”

***

Dinner was pretty uneventful, if one thought that having the Special Ops Squad floundering at the numerous utensils wasn’t amusing to watch. And, also, if one didn’t consider constantly running their foot up and down Levi Ackerman’s calf in a teasing manner thrilling. If so, then dinner would have been considered pretty normal.

“I was talking to your squad earlier,” (Y/n) piped up from where she was lathering her hair with shampoo in the bathroom. A light laugh escaped her lips, as she shot a glance at the open door that led to her room. “They’re a fun bunch, Levi.” 

“They’re brats,” Levi scoffed with a roll of his eyes, just as he entered the bathroom in his underwear-clad glory.

(Y/n) actually had to swallow the excess saliva that pooled in her mouth. If she were a lesser woman, the sight of her fiancé’s abdominal muscles would have been enough to get her on her knees— begging for his cock. But she wasn’t a lesser woman, so she closed her eyes and forced herself to resume scrubbing the suds in her hair. 

“Yes, but they’re **your** brats.”

Slowly, the brunette’s hands were clasped by the wrists and tugged away from her scalp; only to be replaced by Levi’s gentle hands. A satisfied sigh escaped the woman’s lips as her body relaxed significantly. If she could stay there under the warm spray of water, with Levi shampooing her hair, she would do it in a heartbeat— for all eternity, even. 

It took everything in her not to lean back against him and lay her head back against his shoulder. She did that once, and the raven-haired man was so pissed at her for getting suds all over his face. For her, it was funny as hell; but he didn’t seem to think so. 

“They’re not mine. I’m going to have my own brat very soon.” Levi guided her towards the water, and meticulously rinsed the bubbles out of her hair. And once that was done, he let his hands drift down to her chest so that he could cup her breasts.

His fingers played with her nipples until they were erect little buds, and until (Y/n) was lightly moaning in pleasure. Breathlessly, she whispered, “Don’t call our children brats.”

“My spawn, then.” Warm lips latched on to the crook where (Y/n)’s neck and shoulder met, and a pleasured sigh managed to pass her own lips. 

“That makes you sound evil.” She placed her right hand against Levi’s thigh, then let it trail up to take his half-hard erection in hand. The positioning was a bit awkward— what with her arm twisted like that— but it didn’t fail to elicit a breathless groan from the raven-haired Captain. 

Levi returned the action by lowering his left hand to (Y/n)’s crotch, and toying with her clit. He pressed the tiny bundle of nerves beneath the pad of his middle finger, and started flicking it back and forth. The woman in his arms shook at his ministrations, so he pushed her closer to the marble wall to find purchase against it with her free hand. “Some people think I am.”

“Never to me, Levi.”

That warmed the Corporal’s heart more than she could ever know. His chest was tight, and his eyes felt a little prickly, but he held his emotions back; in favor of expressing his love for her in a much more physically intimate manner.

His fingers traced her slit, and when he found that it was already sopping wet, he plunged his index and middle finger inside her tight cunt. He didn’t even wait for her to finish the gasp that passed her lips before he was pumping his digits persistently inside her; all while his thumb kept playing with her clit at every movement. Her hand on his cock ceased its movement; everything forgotten at the immense pleasure she was feeling.

The warm water was pelting at his back, but Levi didn’t even care about the wasted resource as (Y/n)’s thighs quivered— a sign of her oncoming release. All that he was focused on the way that her walls squeezed his fingers so tightly, that he knew if it were his cock in there, he would have cum already.

Abruptly, (Y/n)’s release coursed through her body, yet Levi still kept pumping his fingers. It wasn’t until the (L/n) heiress clasped a shaky hand around his wrist that he stopped playing with her cunt. 

“We’re not done yet, princess.” The Corporal whispered darkly in her ear, before lifting her up by her thighs and lining his cock up against her opening. With a low groan, he slipped his cock inside her and had to bite down on her shoulder to keep himself from moaning aloud. The moment that he slipped inside her, another surge of release coursed through her, and the feel of her walls spasming around his cock was enough to drive him close to the edge.

“Fuck, Levi,” the brunette mewled shamelessly as she threaded her right hand through Levi’s hair. “Fill me up with your cum, please.”

Levi’s tongue traced up the line of the (L/n) heiress’ neck, until he paused at her ear so that he could nibble on the shell of it. “Everyday, princess. I’ll fill you up with my cum every fucking day.”

***

(Y/n) felt more than clean as she stood outside her mother’s bedroom. After three hours of doing promiscuous activities in the bathroom with Levi, she felt like he had cleaned every inch of her body with more than just his hands. She particularly enjoyed cleaning **him** up— mainly his dick— with her mouth. Sex with him was so thrilling, it briefly made her wonder how she had gotten so lucky.

After knocking on the door, the brunette entered the spacious suite and twisted the lock behind her. “Hello, mother,” She greeted with a forlorn sigh as she walked over to the ornate sofa in the small living area, then proceeded to unceremoniously plop down on it. 

“Did you come here to talk about wedding plans? I’m sure your father won’t mind funding it.” Yuliana answered her daughter with a small smile. She was so happy that her daughter finally rekindled her tumultuous love affair with the Survey Corps’ Captain Levi, but she couldn’t exactly gush about it with her daughter; as she knew that it would only make her cringe away at the blatant display of affection towards her.

Maybe she was to blame for her daughter’s attitude towards her, but she had never really been the overly-affectionate type; and it was also better for everyone if her children weren’t coddled too much. In a sense, it made them stronger. It made them able to stand on their own two feet, in the inevitable case of her death. 

The younger of the two shook her head. “No. And I’m sure that Levi wouldn’t want anyone else to pay for our wedding except him. What I’m here for is to talk about what Alexei had told me a few days ago.” 

“Ah, yes. He mentioned that you found an issue with becoming the Queen of Marley.” Yuliana flicked a piece of invisible dirt off of her shoulder, then pinned her gaze on her daughter. 

“ **Found an issue**? That daft little toad,” (Y/n) cursed through gritted teeth. Her eyebrows furrowed in irritation, and her hands balled themselves into fists on her lap. Her eyes never wavered from her mother’s, though. “I don’t want to do it. I don’t **want** to be a Queen.”

“Yet you were raised to be one.” The matriarch’s lips quirked up in a smug smile, while her daughter’s eyes widened a fraction of an inch as a realization hit her full-force.

She **had** been raised to become a Queen, now that she thought about it. All of the etiquette lessons, the extra-curricular activities that seemed like a waste of time, all of the language classes that she had to take, **the history and geography classes that were so tedious** , parading her around to the upper echelons of Marley; all of those things seemed so trivial then, but they all made sense now. 

It made her realize that this really was a long time coming; it had been set to motion ever since she was a child, and she had no doubt that there was no changing it now. Unless she wanted to fail her family, and end up with the ultimate result of all their deaths. 

She couldn’t have her family’s death on her hands. 

And what of Levi? What would happen to him if she refused to take the throne? He would be persecuted if she weren’t there to put a stop to it, while in a position of power. 

“I think it’s time you knew what **really** transpired back then.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone!
> 
> Before anyone says that the Reader's and Levi's back story is too vague... well, I have plans for that. >:D  
> Thank you so, so much for reading this!!!!
> 
> Shoutouts to **Kat26 and Chae**!!!!! Thank you, guys!!!! <3


	17. Chapter 17

Did she really want to hear it? Her family’s real and in-depth history? 

(Y/n)’s entire body felt like it was made of lead as she sat stock-still in her seat. Her eyes were focused on her mother, but her vision was close to hazy as her mind churned at her dilemma. Knowing **why** her family was doing all of this would help clear up her uncertainties, but knowing more than she wanted to would make her more empathic to their plight, and would taint her decision with her own feelings of guilt and sense of family. 

Yet she wanted to know **more**. Her mind was halfway set into taking the throne if need be, and she wanted to know what in the ever-loving world she was fighting for; if not Levi and her family’s lives. At the same time, her apprehension about failure ate her up on the inside; gnawing at her nerves and crushing the determination that she was forcing through her system.

If she failed, it wouldn’t just be her own pride on the line. A whole country would depend on her; more people than she could fathom would look to her to guide them into a new era. She didn’t know if she could handle all of that.

She can’t even handle keeping her room tidy, for fuck’s sake.

Yuliana wasn’t giving her any more reprieve, though; as the older woman crossed her legs at the ankles and got comfortable in her seat, then lapsed into a what seemed to be a lengthy narration.

“The very blood running through your veins is the cure for titans that everyone’s been so set on getting.” Identical eyes to (Y/n)’s pinned her beneath its sharp gaze; it felt like she was looking into a mirror with how alike her eyes looked to her mother’s. Only, her mother’s eyes were lit with something dark and foreboding that she didn’t want to dwell on. “It comes at the cost of your life.”

“So there’s always been a cure,” the younger (L/n) whispered in an accusatory tone. Her brows furrowed and her lips thinned out into a displeased line, that her mother didn’t even bother to react to. “Why haven’t we done **anything**? We could help-”

The (L/n) matriarch narrowed her gaze at her daughter and cut her off. “Do you think that we haven’t tried? Centuries’ worth of our family members have tried to erase the titans from existence to end the hate towards Eldians, but their sacrifices were all for nothing as the greed that Marley has runs deep into its roots. Our ancestors have tried to eradicate it, but they died in vain since Marley’s military labs only made more and more genetically modified titans.”

The room was silent, save for the crackling of the fire in the hearth, until… “Our deaths will be for nothing if they just keep on making more titans. Do you understand now, (Y/n)?”

(Y/n) understood, but she didn’t want to admit aloud that her mother was right, so she remained silent. Her gaze fell down to the fists on her lap, as she felt shame course through her for thinking that her mother was selfish.

Yuliana wasn’t selfish; she was thinking rationally— with her head and not her heart; not being led by her impulse like (Y/n) was.

“Our solution to that is taking the throne back from the Tybur family. Once that’s done, we will destroy everything that has to do with titan genetic laboratories…”

The name rang a bell in (Y/n)’s mind, and when the pieces clicked together in her head, she remembered the long-haired man named Willy Tybur. His family led Marley under the guise of a puppet; much like what Rod Reiss had done in Paradis. Though, the reason for having a puppet was because the entirety of Marley would rebel against the monarchy if they found out that Eldians were the ones ruling over them.

“Alexei said that we’re the rightful rulers of Marley. Why is that?”

“Because we **are**.” Yuliana’s expression darkened even more as she regaled her family’s history. “The von Kleissers ruled Marley until the Tyburs became honorary Marley citizens forty years ago. They paraded as wolves in sheep’s clothing; gaining the royal family’s trust and getting into the upper echelons of society. The bastards stormed the palace with their guards and bathed the walls with blood.”

(Y/n) looked towards her mother and saw that the older woman was gritting her teeth in barely-restrained anger. Her right hand was clenched into a fist, and her eyes were downcast as she tried to hide the depth of her rage from her daughter. Reliving the memories of her fifteen-year-old self wasn’t her favorite past-time, but it was necessary right now.

“My mother and I managed to escape, and we hid like rats in the forest while looking for the bag that contained our falsified documents and some money.” The older woman’s voice broke, and tears rolled down her cheeks, but she refused to wipe them away. Instead, she continued her painful story, “We crossed the border to Eastern Country, and lived off of the money that my father managed to stow away in an off-shore account. They were very prepared; as if they always knew that death was at the door. And it was as my mother told me: _it’s better to be overly-prepared than under-prepared._

“That’s where I met your father. He was a Lieutenant in the Marleyan military, and was stationed in that part of Eastern Country. I told him everything and we got married; he swore to help me regain my family’s rightful place on the throne, and that made me love him even more. We returned to Marley after five years and worked our way up into society. It helped that he came from a noble family; it made things easy for us.”

The information flying at the younger (L/n) was, in all honesty, extremely overwhelming. Her head felt light as she tried to process everything all at once, but she couldn’t gain any more clarity of the situation even if she tried. It was like her brain had just stopped working with how heavy and painful the truth to her heritage really was.

She wanted Levi to hold her and make her pain go away.

Thankfully, her mother had picked up on her troubles and took pity on her. Even with dried tear tracks on her face, she still looked as youthful as ever, but the stony expression on her face detracted from that beauty. “I’m sure that the Cap… that Levi is waiting for you. We can continue this some other time.”

And so, with a relieved sigh, (Y/n) rose from her seat. She gazed down at her mother and was tempted to reach out and touch her shoulder, but held herself back.

 _It would just be_ _awkward_. The younger brunette thought to herself. With that, she made her exit.

***

“Where were you?” Levi asked softly as he felt a freshly-showered (Y/n) cuddling up to him. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pressed his lips to the crown of her head.

“I was talking to my mother…” the brunette admitted, then started retelling the story that her mother had told her. By the end of it, her chest felt lighter than it had before, even as fat tear tracks marred her cheeks.

Levi remained silent even after her story. He had no clue as to what to say; it explained everything, but it brought forth more pressure on (Y/n). His heart ached as she kept sobbing into his chest, but he knew that no further pushing was necessary to get her to assume her rightful role in life. It wasn’t like with Historia’s case that she was adamant at not being the Queen of Paradis; (Y/n) knew what was at stake, and she understood that she had to give in and accept what she was being dealt.

She was merely venting to him, and that made him happier than it should have. It meant that she still trusted him to take care of her feelings, and that was a source of happiness in his bleak world.

The Corporal’s fingers kept running through (Y/n)’s brown locks, in an effort to soothe her. And it worked, as she had fallen asleep in Levi’s arms before she knew it. There were dried tear tracks on her face, which the raven-haired man contemplated wiping away with a damp towel; but it required getting up, so he thought better of it.

He didn’t want to untangle himself from (Y/n); not when she was clinging so tightly to him. So, he resorted to **trying** to wipe them away with the pad of his thumb. Even in her current state, she still looked as ethereal as she did when they first met. The red gown that she wore made a bold statement, and he had to admit that it was the first thing that caught his attention about her.

A quiet scoff left his lips as he thought back to that night. He had purposely tripped her to get her attention, and gauge her attitude based on her reaction… only, he was half surprised and half livid at her for throwing an insult his way.

 _‘I apologize, but you’re as short as footstool— that was why I didn’t see you.’_ Those were her exact words to him. Her eyes held unhindered irritation, but her face remained as impassive as ever. And then she had stormed off in a cloud of red lace and tulle.

He wasn’t sure what had possessed him to follow her out to the garden, but what he was sure of at that moment was that he was caught up in her— hook, line, and sinker.

(Y/n) had asked him what he was doing _‘snooping around her’_ , but he just answered her with a narrow-eyed gaze. Then, she had made the first move towards him; it was only to accusingly poke at his chest as she stated that he was a stalker, but he had caught her left hand by the wrist and held it back from her incessant poking.

His eyes had traced her facial features beneath the dim light of the outdoor lamps, and he found that he truly liked what he saw. She wore very little make-up, but her beauty still outshone that of the ones still inside the ball room. He particularly liked the swath of red lipstick than painted her lips. It made her look like a temptress that was sent to ruin him.

Now that he thought about it, she really **was** a temptress that ruined him. She had taken his heart, and he was sure that he wasn’t getting it back. Especially when they had children that she could share it with.

He wasn’t sure about what had happened while he stared at her, but the next thing he knew was that his lips were upon hers; and she was kissing him back just as fervently.

At present, a small smile tipped the corners of Levi’s lips upward, and he pressed a kiss to the love of his life’s forehead. “Fucking temptress.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone!!
> 
> Sorry if it took like an extra day to post this. I had some trouble with writing the back story, since I want things to be in line with the canon universe as much as possible. So yes, if the story seems confusing, please tell me and I'd gladly re-write the chapter or explain things.
> 
> Shoutout to **Chae** for the comment!!! Thank you so, so much!!! <3
> 
> Please tell me what you guys think. It would mean a lot to get your opinion on things. <3


	18. Chapter 18

Levi felt so tired as he signed his name onto another request letter for 3DMG parts. His eyes were heavy after staring at words all day, and his back was starting to hurt with how he kept hunching over the paperwork. In all honesty, he couldn’t wait for night to come so that they could pack up (Y/n)’s clinic, then be on their merry way back to Trost in the morning.

As much as he liked the peace and quiet here, all the admiring stares from the housekeepers was starting to get annoying. He couldn’t even go out of (Y/n)’s room without being ogled. And when he mentioned it to his fiancée after breakfast, she had put a hand on his chest and pressed her lips against his in a blatant show of affection.

His squad members almost lost their minds at that, but it had managed to make the women shy away from him; as it was a reminder that he was unavailable. But it still didn’t do anything to quell their stares.

He was just about to sink back into the plush leather chair, when the sound of a rifle firing off made him jump up and run towards the window.

The sight that greeted the Corporal made his shoulders sag in relief. It was just (Y/n) and her brother messing around with a rifle. Their dynamic confused the hell out of him, but he resigned himself to the fact that he would never understand their bond; as he didn’t have any siblings to share that kind of bond with. He used to have Farlan, and he was as close to him as a brother, but it was still different. 

Alexei and (Y/n) were like a cat and a dog. They sometimes got along, but they either fought or ignored each other most of the time. Right now was one of the moments when they got along; it was as if yesterday didn’t even happen. 

“Toss it up higher, you limp noodle!” (Y/n) yelled snippily as she held the rifle with both hands and took to another shooting stance.

From beside her, Alexei rolled his eyes and clutched the clay plate tighter in his right hand. It had been a long time since he’d done this sort of thing with his sister, and it made him feel better to know that some things about her didn’t change. She was still the old (Y/n) that he knew; only older and about to get married.

Without preamble, the older of the siblings tossed the earthenware up into the sky; while his sister cursed aloud as she pulled the trigger on the flintlock. With a loud bang, and the unmistakable shattering of a plate, the brunette lowered the rifle and shot her brother a grin. “ _Ha!_ Let’s see you try to top that.”

“Let’s see you try to top that,” Alexei mocked with a curl of his upper lip. He then grabbed the gun from his sister, and cooled it down before reloading it with practiced motions. “Watch and learn, you damn harpy.”

“Really now?” (Y/n) challenged with a laugh, before grabbing a disc from the stack beside her and throwing it against the side of the house.

Alexei didn’t really think about it, he pulled the trigger and successfully shattered the clay disc, as well as destroyed a small section of the house’s wall. Immediately, he lowered the flintlock and backed away from where he was standing. He shot a panicked and accusatory look at his sister, who only returned his look with an innocent one.

“You evil witch! You did this on purpose!” The older (L/n) hissed. His eyes kept flicking to his sister and back to the damaged wall, as if looking at it would make it go away.

(Y/n), feeling smug at getting one over her brother, laughed aloud and was about to prance away from him, when he shoved the rifle towards her. Reflexively, she pushed the gun away and shook her head. “Uh, **no**. **You** were the one holding the gun when it happened; hell, Alexei, **you** were the one who shot it. So it’s no one’s fault but yours.” 

From where Levi stood, he had heard everything. So, with a shake of his head, he pinched the bridge of his nose in the hopes of alleviating the headache that his fiancée’s childishness caused. Still, a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips. 

Levi knew that what she was doing was her way of coping with the situation, and he had already told her a long time ago that it was unhealthy for her, but she merely shook him off. As soon as the thought crossed his mind, the smile was wiped from his face as worry gnawed at him. 

In the face of everyone, she presented a tough and carefree front, but he knew that when it was just her with her feelings, she couldn’t help but overthink and cry herself to sleep; just like what had happened last night. He was worried that everything would catch up to (Y/n) all at once and her coping mechanism wouldn’t be enough to shelter her from the aftermath. 

It was a good thing that he was there to help cushion her fall.

***

“How are you feeling?” Levi asked flatly as he pressed a hand to (Y/n)’s warm forehead. The brunette screwed her eyes shut and used her right hand to shield her face from the sun, before using that same hand to push Levi away as she sneezed. “Do you want to step outside for a while?”

“No, it would just make this worse. I’m fine,” (Y/n) insisted even as her nose felt as clogged up as ever. “There must be a lot of pollen in the air. I’m allergic.”

“But… I gave you flowers.” The brief memory of him picking cornflowers while he was injured— as well as all the times that he had left flowers for her when he left in the morning— flashed through his mind. 

“I can take it in small amounts, but not this…” (Y/n) waved a hand around her; signifying the vast amount of pollen in the air. “Much. And not in enclosed spaces.” 

The Corporal nodded in understanding, but clicked his tongue and shut the windows on the carriage. However, his good intentions were met with an outright protest from (Y/n). She sat back up in her seat and opened her eyes to look at her fiancé.

“No, Levi! It’s too hot.”

A sigh passed the raven-haired man’s lips, but he acquiesced and re-opened the windows. “You’re just making it harder for yourself.”

“Would you rather fan me with a leaf or something?” 

“I’d rather you not die.”

“You’re being overly dramatic.” 

“I’m trying to make you feel better, but you’re being a goddamn brat about it.” 

At that, a grin cut through (Y/n)’s lips as she gazed at the man sitting across from her. It was a good thing that Alexei had opted to stay at their mother’s estate (i.e. was forced to stay so that he could repair the side of the house that he shot) with Ludwig, because she couldn’t have thrown herself in Levi’s lap and pressed a hungry kiss to his lips— had he been with them.

“I’m being a goddamn brat, am I?” (Y/n) teased with a salacious grin playing at her lips. Her mouth lingered close to Levi’s, in a motion that gently brushed her mouth against his, and she was about to deepen that contact when a sneeze put a halt to their intimacy. 

Sheepishly, the brunette pulled away from her fiancé. She then dug into the inside pocket of his jacket to retrieve the handkerchief, that she knew he kept in there. His face showed exactly how livid he was at (Y/n) for sneezing directly on his face, but he made no movements— even as the love of his life gently wiped away the droplets of saliva on his cheeks. 

“Sorry, Levi.” 

“It’s…” The Captain drew a deep breath in and gritted his teeth. It was far from **alright** or **fine** , but he couldn’t exactly chew her out for sneezing on him. She was suffering more than he was, and he knew that getting mad at her would just ultimately make **him** feel bad. “ ** _Fine_.**”

(Y/n) folded up the handkerchief in her hands, then readjusted herself so that she could lay her head against his shoulder. “You know I love you, right?”

“I know, (Y/n).”

“Do you still love me?” Her voice was so small and contrite that it tugged at Levi’s heartstrings.

With another sigh, he answered, “Of course.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just something light and fluffy because I just love Levi's relationship with the Reader. <3
> 
> I'll answer all your comments later, everyone!!!! <3 Thank you so much!!!!!


	19. Chapter 19

“And what’s this?” Hange asked aloud as she held the flexible rubber of the stethoscope in her hands. She put the earpieces in her ears, then was startled when she tapped the trumpet-shaped end of the device.

“That,” (Y/n) gently took the diaphragm of the medical tool, then pressed it against the other woman’s chest; right above where her heart rested. “Is a stethoscope. It lets you hear someone’s heartbeat.”

Once the (L/n) heiress knew that her friend knew how to use the item in her hands, she walked back to the crate that Levi had just opened, then fished out the sphygmomanometer from the top of the container.

Clearly awed at her new discovery, Hange kept moving the diapgragm against her clothed chest, until she took the earpieces off when her eyes landed on the curious gadget that (Y/n) was setting on the table right beside Levi. “What about that?”

“This one is a sphygmomanometer; it’s used to monitor someone’s blood pressure. Ultimately, it does that by measuring the force of the blood in the heart where it’s greatest; and also where it’s weakest. The normal measurement is 120/80.” The doctor explained patiently, even as her fiancé sighed heavily behind her and shook his head.

All that Levi wanted was to have some peace and quiet with (Y/n), while they rearranged her medical supplies in the infirmary. It would be difficult to explain to the cadets just how she got hold of most of those modern items, but they all prayed that she would never have to resort to using any of it.

The Corporal just wanted Hange to fucking **leave** , so he could tidy up with the love of his life in peace… or maybe fuck her senseless **and then** tidy up. Either option was fine with him.

After her hay fever episode yesterday, he had kept her cooped up inside his room and closed all the windows to keep any pollen out. Though, she kept insisting that she already felt better, as there weren’t much trees or greenery within Trost. Still, Levi wasn’t having any of it.

Partly, it was because he wanted to have her all to himself yesterday; since he was promised the rest of the day off.

Unfortunately for him, though, Erwin needed his help with planning the reclamation of Wall Maria, so he had to go and see to that. It also didn’t help that Historia had sent a proposal in the mail about bringing children from the Underground to the surface, and allowing them to live on the same estate that she had grown up in.

Levi had the brief thought of bringing up the probability of adopting a child to (Y/n), but pushed it aside for the moment. It could be a possibility in the future— after they have had their own set of brats— but not at the moment when he knew that it would throw a wrench in the proper succession to the Marleyan throne.

Adopting would be a good option, but only after they’ve produced heirs and heiresses to the throne. He wasn’t deluded or disillusioned enough to believe that people would be accepting of an adopted heir. Especially if the said heir or heiress didn’t possess the same titan-curing abilities as the progeny of the von Kleisser family.

And if those damn Marleyans didn’t want him with their Queen, well… fuck all of them. There was no way in hell or high heaven that he was leaving (Y/n) ever again. He had already made the mistake once, and it had ended up becoming the biggest regret of his life.

“Can you measure my blood pressure?” Hange piped up excitedly. She looked so happy about the prospect of getting herself checked that it brought a small smile on (Y/n)’s face; while Levi’s frown deepened even more into a scowl.

“And here I was looking forward to spending some **alone time** with my fiancée,” Levi grumbled irately. Normally, he wouldn’t have said anything— but merely would have tried to glare at Hange until she went away— but it wasn’t cutting it this time. She wouldn’t get the damn hint, and it forced his hand to admit something so personal aloud.

It seemed that the Captain’s words did the trick, because both women’s heads whipped up to look at him with surprise written clearly on their faces.

(Y/n) was the first to pick her jaw up from the floor, as she turned back towards her friend with a contrite grimace on her lips. “Maybe some other time, Hange? I promise I’ll make it up to you.”

At that, the section commander guffawed as she clapped the doctor on the shoulder. “Alright. Shorty apparently wants to get you all to himself. Talk about possessive, Levi.”

“It’s none of your fucking business, Four Eyes.” Levi scoffed with a scowl seemingly permanently etched onto his face.

“Okay,” Hange chirped in a lilting tone, as she put her hands in her pockets and made a show of sauntering out of the infirmary. “Please sanitize every surface that you’re going to use.”

With that, the eccentric Section Commander turned on her heel and practically pranced out of the infirmary with a grin on her face; leaving a profusely blushing couple in her wake.

***

“Where do you want me to put these?” Levi asked as he placed a small stack of medical papers on top of (Y/n)’s desk. He briefly flipped through the papers, then dismissed them when he saw that they were merely old patient prescriptions. He also noted that his fiancée had to work on making her penmanship more legible.

He had to admit that her handwriting looked aesthetically pleasing with all the thin lines and elegant accents, but they were barely legible to him. Hell, he had to squint at some words just to make out what they meant.

Still, Levi didn’t say anything in fear of having blue balls for the rest of his life.

“Just put them in the top drawer, please.” (Y/n) answered from where she was organizing a collection of bottled medicine. She had shooed Levi away from her workspace, as she knew that he would nitpick at her own messy process of organizing. It was better to have him do his own thing than to have had him constantly looking over her shoulder.

The Corporal grunted his answer, then opened the top drawer on the desk— only to see a battered, leather dog collar resting on top of more papers. Gingerly, he picked up the worn item and examined it closely. (Y/n) had mentioned once— a very long time ago— that she was forced to leave her dog in Marley, then had never said anything about it again. “(Y/n)?”

The brunette looked up from where she was reading the labels of one of the two bottles in her hands, then set the medicine down in favor of walking over to her fiancé. Her eyes immediately zeroed in on the leather collar in his hands, then lingered affectionately on the Amethyst crystals glittering beneath the sunlight that filtered into the room.

Levi tried to wrack his brain for the name that she had said back then, only to draw a frustrating blank. Maybe if he wasn’t so focused on how her eyes looked so beautiful in the moonlight that night, he would remember what that dog’s name was.

“That was Lulu’s.” (Y/n) whispered as leaned the side of her hip against the desk. She then lightly tinkered with the tiara charm dangling from the collar, and smiled wistfully. “Neither Alexei nor Ludwig went into detail about what happened to her. They just said that they were ambushed and that one of the soldiers threw this in Alexei’s face while he was being interrogated.”

Her heart was starting to ache again, but she refused to let it get her mood down. She still had to face a lot of people as the day went on, and it wouldn’t help if she felt like shit on the inside. “I was so happy when I first got her. I had those Amethysts taken from my coming-of-age tiara, just so she could have her own.”

She flicked the charm once more, then sighed as she pushed herself up off the table. Levi, however, wasn’t buying her _‘I’m fine’_ attitude. “You do know that you need to talk to me about this shit, right? I’m going to be your husband, not just a damn acquaintance.”

A smile played at (Y/n)’s lips at that, and she reached out to wrap her arms around Levi’s middle. Slowly, the captain adjusted his arms so that they enveloped her in his warmth, then he pressed his lips against the crown of her head.

It was just a good thing that she was pressing her face against his neck, because it would have been awkward if she were standing upright— as they were the same height.

“What do you want me to say?” (Y/n) asked— her voice muffled by the soft material of Levi’s shirt.

“Anything that will help you,” Levi answered gruffly, as his right hand clutched the leather collar tighter in his grasp.

All the humor then faded from the brunette’s voice. She stood stock-still in her fiancé’s arms, then closed her eyes as she tried to think of what to say. Well, she knew what she wanted to say, but she was deciding on whether to air her thoughts out or not.

In the end, she realized that it was **Levi** that she was talking to— the very man who loved her even with all her flaws and shortcomings. “I want to… end those bastards that did this to Lulu. I want to cleanse Marley as their rightful Queen. I want them to know just how wrong they have been all these years; that not **all** Eldians are evil.”

They were diverting from the simple topic of how (Y/n) felt about her dog’s passing, but Levi didn’t say anything as she kept venting to him. In fact, he found himself rubbing her back affectionately as a form of encouragement. “I want to- no, I **need** to become the Queen so that I can protect my family; so I can protect **you**. I just want to live in peace with you and our children, Levi. Is that too much to wish for?” 

“No, princess.” Levi whispered thickly, as his heart felt heavy in his chest and the backs of his eyes felt prickly with too much emotion. This woman never ceased to mess with him and his feelings; she always reminded him that he was also human— someone who thought and felt normal things, as opposed to the superhuman soldier that everyone branded him as. “I’ll do everything I can to make that wish of yours come true. I promise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone!!!! Just a little heads up: the plot will start picking up from here again. I just hope that I can deliver it nicely. <3
> 
> Thank you so much for the support!!! And I apologize for the delay. I've been trying to research on how I can further the story without ruining the pace, but that's been proving to be a challenge. Though, I do like challenges. Don't worry, I will see this story through to the end. I promise <3
> 
> See you guys in the next one!


	20. Chapter 20

“Why don’t you want me to go with you? You know that I’m more than capable of holding my own out there! What even was all that training for?” (Y/n) snapped irately as she paced back and forth in front of Levi’s desk in his office. “I accepted this job **fully** **expecting** to be put in the field, Levi! I’m going to be useless here!”

Levi, feeling even more impatient than before, clicked his tongue and looked up at his raging fiancée. He had tried to spare her feelings earlier by remaining quiet throughout her rant, but she was now being too stubborn for her own good. “Sending you out there is **not** a risk that I’m willing to take, (Y/n). Not because of my personal feelings about your becoming my wife, but because **you have a country to run**. The outcome of this war depends on **you** , and no one will be fucking stupid enough to send you out there once they know the truth.”

That brought pause to (Y/n)’s oncoming tirade. Her eyebrows furrowed together in a clear show of sadness and disappointment, and Levi’s heart sank when he saw the silent tears that she quickly swiped away with the back of her right index finger. Through gritted teeth, the (L/n) heiress hissed out, “But I **want** to be there. I want to help, Levi. I can’t just stay here and play house while you’re risking your life out there.”

Silence reigned between the couple as they stared each other down, until (Y/n) broke it once more. “We can take Ludwig. He can help seal the wall. Two titan shifters would be better than one. He can protect me if-”

“ **IT’S NOT THAT FUCKING EASY!** ” Levi shouted as he stood up and slammed his hands on the table. He instantly regretted letting his temper get the better of him when he saw the genuine hurt in (Y/n)’s eyes. More tears slide down her cheeks, and she quickly wiped them away to erase their existence.

It was the first time that Levi had ever yelled at her so angrily, that she couldn’t help but cry. It really wasn’t that easy to go out there, but she truly did want to help; she believed that she could make a difference out there. Having an actual doctor on-hand could lessen the Survey Corps’ casualties; at least, she believed so.

However, Levi didn’t want her setting foot out there; not until it was safe enough for her. He was lying when he said that he hadn’t taken his personal feelings into account earlier. He couldn’t risk losing her; hell, he would rather die than try to keep on living a life without her existence. If she died out there, all of his reasons for fighting would be gone in an instant, as everything he was doing revolved around (Y/n) and their future together.

No one truly was selfless enough to fight for something so selfless; everyone in the Survey Corps had a selfish reason for wanting to attain their freedom; whether it be to prove something, or to fight for a safer future for their loved ones, everyone had some selfish motivation that kept them going. No one was entirely selfless in this world; everyone always had their selfish motivation that they put under the guise of being selfless.

The same principle applied to (Y/n). She wanted to help, truly she did— but her main reason for wanting to go was so she could watch over Levi and save him should anything untoward happen. She wanted to be there so she could ensure his survival. Her heart wouldn’t be able to take it if he left her again… permanently.

“I’m so sorry for wasting your time then, Captain.” (Y/n) muttered through her tears, then turned on her heel and walked out of her fiancé’s office.

“(Y/n)!” He called out, but she ignored him.

As soon as his door clicked shut behind the love of his life, the Corporal sank back down in his seat and put his face in his hands. A heavy sigh left his lips, just as his mental beratement of his actions ensued.

He was a selfish man, and his love for her only made that selfishness worse.

***

As much as (Y/n) wanted to hunt Erwin down and demand that he take her along with them during the reclamation of Wall Maria, she wasn’t mannerless enough to do so. And so, she opted to get out of the castle under the pretense of getting medicinal herbs from the apothecary in the village. 

In truth, she was just aimlessly walking around with a wicker basket adorning her right arm, and the sun hat that she had to take off— because of all the weird stares that she was getting— inside said basket. It seemed that sun hats weren’t a common accessory this far from Mitras, and she wanted to blend in as much as possible, so it really left her without much choice except to remove it.

The sun was beating down harshly on her skin, and she had no doubt that her cheeks were already red with that much exposure to the warm rays, but she paid it no mind. All that was on her mind was getting away from the Survey Corps’ headquarters to clear her mind.

However, everywhere she went, she could feel the numerous eyes following her every move. It could have been because people recognized her as the woman who finally snagged the elusive Captain Levi, or it could have been because she stuck out like a sore thumb with her finer clothes and custom-made boots. Still, even with either reason for all the curious looks, she was still uncomfortable as all hell.

It appeared that her going out for a walk didn’t do anything to help. At all.

So, she did the next best thing: she went to Greta’s house.

Once she stood in front of the small building, she knocked on the door and waited patiently for her housekeeper to open it. The fiery-haired woman didn’t fail her, as she had promptly answered the door and— with a surprised look clear on her face— allowed the (L/n) heiress to enter her humble abode.

Immediately, Greta fixed up her couch cushions as she implored her lady to sit down and make herself comfortable. (Y/n), in turn, thanked the older woman and situated herself on the less-than-plush seat; she wasn’t complaining, though.

“Can I get you some tea, my lady? Or coffee, perhaps?”

(Y/n) wanted to go for some chamomile to help calm her frazzled nerves, but she was feeling petty enough to forgo the drink just because tea reminded her of Levi. “I’d love some coffee, please. With cream, if you have some.”

A smile pulled up the corners of Greta’s lips, and she bowed into a light curtsy. That much was normal, but her next words made (Y/n) do a double-take. “Yes, your highness.”

“Excuse me?” Blue eyes narrowed in confusion at the smiling maid, but (Y/n) dismissed her gaffe— as Greta looked as if she hadn’t said anything unusual. Instead, she chalked it up to having misheard the other woman.


	21. Chapter 21

“Can you believe that, Greta? He **yelled** at me,” (Y/n) wearily scoffed in disbelief as she stared down at the burgundy liquid in her mug. Had she been still living within Mitras, the coffee mug in her right hand would have been a crystal wine glass, and the cheap-ass wine that she was drinking would have been a vintage one from 835 or something. 

But no, she wasn’t living in Mitras anymore. She was stuck drinking in her housekeeper’s apartment in downtown Trost; all because she wanted something stronger than coffee to get her mind off of Levi. Unfortunately for her, drinking had the opposite effect.

All she could talk about was Levi, and how hurt she was that he had yelled at her earlier. She was very conscious of the things she was saying, but it was as if she couldn’t keep her mouth from yapping about it. It was just a good thing that she still had some sort of filter in place, because she had sworn to keep her mother’s revelation just between her and Levi for the moment.

“My Lady, it’s almost time for curfew at the Survey Corps’ Headquarters. Master Levi must be worried about you,” Greta implored gently, in fear that her mistress would lash out at her and be more difficult than she already was. She had tried to keep the younger woman from drinking too much, but she had kept on insisting that she needed to drink after everything that she had endured.

And that was how Greta was underhandedly fooled into plying the brunette with more wine.

“Master Levi?” (Y/n) slurred with a confused look on her face. Then, the confusion that blanketed her features morphed into understanding, once her hazy mind had managed to put the pieces together. “Oh, right, I’m marrying him. I love him, but-”

The (L/n) heiress’ tirade was cut off by a sharp knock on the front door. It wasn’t even a knock, as it was a heavy and angry pounding against the wood; it was as if the person on the other side couldn’t even wait for the owner of the home to let them in.

Immediately, blue eyes narrowed suspiciously at the fiery-haired woman. “You didn’t go to the bathroom earlier, did you, Greta?”

“I’m sorry, my Lady, but a few scouts have been searching for you outside since night fell. I even heard one of them say that Master Levi was going to break all of their legs if they didn’t find you.” The housekeeper explained contritely, then proceeded to cross the small room to open the front door.

Lo and behold, Levi stood there with his Maneuver Gear strapped on to his body, sans the blade holsters. Some strands of his hair were stuck to his forehead and, even through her cloudy gaze, (Y/n) could see his chest heaving up and down rapidly. His eyes immediately found hers, and they widened a fraction of an inch, before narrowing into angry slits.

The Corporal didn’t even wait for a formal invitation to come in before he crossed the threshold of the house. He immediately made a beeline towards his sloshed fiancée, then held her chin between his thumb and forefinger. Their gazes met, and it was as if electricity coursed through both of them at the contact; whether it was because of their irritation towards each other, or because of the lust that came with their irate feelings, they weren’t too sure.

“You weren’t planning on coming home.” It was the first time that Levi had ever referred to the castle as a ‘home’, but the term held meaning now— because it did start to feel like his home, after (Y/n) had started living there as well. He would never admit that aloud to anyone, and he prayed that she didn’t pick up on his wording. “Why?”

Defiantly, (Y/n) turned her face away from Levi— effectively shaking free from his grip on her chin. “It’s none of your business.”

Levi’s teeth gritted in anger at that answer, but he briefly closed his eyes and took a deep breath to calm himself down. It was his fault that she had practically ran away from him, he knew that, and that was the last thing that he wanted to happen now.

Once he opened his eyes again, his grey irises stared deeply into his fiancée’s blue ones. His voice took on a softer tone, but it was still gruff and flat at most. “You’re going to be my **wife** , (Y/n); of course it’s my business where you go, especially when it concerns your safety.”

Tears pricked the backs of the brunette’s eyes, and her chest felt even warmer and tighter at his words— then her gaze broke away from his. In a small voice, she said, “You yelled at me earlier. You looked so mad, Levi. It scared me.”

Instantly, shame flooded through the Corporal’s system, and his right hand moved— from where it was still frozen a few inches away from her face— to cup her right cheek affectionately. “I’m…” Awkwardness sprung forward in the myriad of feelings that he was experiencing, but he pushed past it with a sigh. He had long come to terms with the fact that he would **always** be the one apologizing during arguments, but that didn’t make saying the actual word any easier.

“…Sorry, (Y/n). I was being a shithead earlier.”

(Y/n)’s bleary eyes blinked up at Levi, as a slow nod moved her head up and down. Her motions were a testament to how drunk she actually was; especially since she wasn’t one to go and get smashed on cheap wine. “Forgiven,” the brunette slurred out, then added, “But we have to talk about it when I’m... not…”

She trailed off in search of the right word, only to end up just staring at the man cupping her cheek tenderly. Levi’s thumb gently brushed against the side of her mouth, as a halfhearted click of his tongue echoed in the silent room. “Drunk?”

Greta had long since dismissed herself to give her mistress and new master some privacy; which the Corporal appreciated greatly. He might not have been very fond of her but, at least she knew when to give other people some space.

The brunette grabbed onto Levi’s right wrist with both hands, then shook her head. “I’m not drunk. Come on, let’s fuck, Levi.”

As much as the raven-haired Captain wanted to take her up on that offer, is long list of kinks didn’t include fucking his half-conscious fiancée into oblivion. They had already ticked off most of the kinks on his list, but never had time to explore more as of late; the reason for that being that the castle didn’t provide much privacy, even with its thick walls.

That, and because there weren’t any ideal places to strap (Y/n) onto. At least back in her house in Mitras, she had that massive four-poster bed that they had tons of fun using, as well as the sturdy beams within every room; and that meant **every** room, even the kitchen.

Levi particularly loved fucking her on top of the kitchen counter, while Greta was out on an errand. He was sure that (Y/n) loved that as well but— if memory served him right— she came so many times when they fucked on the stairs. It was hell on his back, but it was so worth it because her cunt just kept cumming around his cock.

It was a miracle that she hadn’t gotten pregnant then.

The mere thought of doing all those things to her again more than made Levi hot under the collar. But it appeared that he wasn’t going to get the chance to re-enact all of those scenarios tonight; as the love of his life was already asleep against his palm.

With a sigh and a shake of his head, he unlatched her hands from his wrist and moved to pick her up in his arms. “I’m taking her home, Greta,” He called flatly to the other woman that he knew was just in the next room.

Steady footsteps padded across the hardwood floor, and the fiery redhead made her presence known once more. She smiled gently at the Corporal, then dropped into a low curtsy; one that Levi only saw used by the maids at the palace when they greeted Historia. “Thank you for taking care of my Mistress, Master Levi.”

“I’m supposed to do that as her fiancé.” With that, Levi strode over to the front door and opened it with his right hand. It was a bit of a stretch, since he was carrying (Y/n), but he managed.

No matter how hard he tried to shake the feeling, something just didn’t sit well with him regarding his fiancée’s housekeeper.

***

“Don’t ask me that question, Levi, because I’m not you.” Erwin Smith, the esteemed Commander of the Survey Corps, answered with a low chuckle as he settled his fingers on top of his lap. He reclined against his leather chair, and his face tilted a little to the side— but his gaze never left his raven-haired friend that was sitting across from him. “However, I cannot deny the fact that having a doctor on the field with us will increase our chances of survival.”

“But what about **her** survival?” Levi asked through gritted teeth. It already took everything in him to ask Erwin what he would do if it were him in his shoes, but the blonde had the audacity to have merely chuckled at his plight.

Heartless bastard. That was why he didn’t have a lover of his own.

“I want to keep her safe. Not just because she’s going to be my wife, but because she can be the key that we need to end this war.”

That seemed to pique the Commander’s interest even more, because he sat up straighter and leaned closer towards Levi. “Why do you say that?”

Unabashedly, Levi shook his head as his eyes narrowed into annoyed slits. He could tell that Erwin would exploit (Y/n) for all she was worth when he found out and, with things as unstable as they were at the moment, he wouldn’t be doing anyone any good if he butted in with his head up his ass. “I can’t tell you yet.”

“So your loyalty is with her now?” Erwin had tried to pass it off as a joke, but Levi wasn’t dumb enough to fall for that. He knew that it was a serious as all hell question that warranted his concrete answer.

“It’s **always** been with her, Erwin. If it comes down to it, I would choose **(Y/n)** over everything, even if it costs me my life.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! Thank you for the continued support on this series!
> 
> I know that everyone looks forward to the daily updates, but I have to say that I can't do them at the moment. I try to put chapters up every other day, at the least, since I've been helping out full-time at my mom's restaurant. See, she just fired half of her staff because she caught them stealing money from her, so she needs me to take care of things at the moment. After all, this was what I went to school for.
> 
> Also, shoutout to **Chae** for all the amazing comments! I promise I will reply to you as soon as I get a good night's sleep. <3
> 
> Comments are very nice and make me feel less tired. Thank you! <3


	22. Chapter 22

Recurring nightmares weren’t anything new to Levi; from the faces of all his fallen comrades, to the bloody remains of his friends, down to that final moment when Farlan had bid him goodbye. Everything haunted him the very moment when he let all of his guards down. However, with those nightmares, he could push them to the back of his mind.

This recurring nightmare, in contrast, wasn’t something that he could shake off as easily. It kept bothering him even during his waking hours— even during the midst of important meetings and those few moments when he could stay with (Y/n).

He wasn’t someone who was obsessed with doing everything before he kicked the bucket, but one thing kept nagging at him to do it while he still could: marrying the love of his life.

It was selfish of him to want for something so big when there wasn’t any certainty to his survival, especially with the Wall Maria expedition coming up, but a big part of him kept wondering about the ‘what ifs’ and all of the feelings that finally settling down entailed. He wanted to experience all of that with (Y/n) before his inevitable death; he was just held back by his own thoughts of how **she** would fare through life if he took even that from her.

She would be a widow at twenty-eight. (Y/n) didn’t deserve that; she deserved someone who was going to stand by her side for the rest of their lives, not some soldier who constantly put himself in the line of fire.

“Where are you at, Levi?” (Y/n) whispered against the Corporal’s bare chest, as they lay cuddled together beneath her sheets. His arm around her shoulders tightened, and he pressed his lips to the top of her head, but didn’t say anything to clue her in to his inner turmoil.

“You seem to space out a lot these past few days,” the brunette continued softly. “Do you want to tell me what’s been bothering you?”

Her voice seemed controlled and even, but she was extremely worried about him. She had even taken to going to his office during random hours of the day just to check up on him, because whatever was on his mind was really doing a number on him.

Levi had been more irritable than usual, and he tended to lock himself in his office instead of checking up on his squad like he usually did. That, in itself, was already a red flag. An extremely alarming one, at that.

Silence reigned between the couple. It was a clear tell to how hesitant Levi was at voicing his thoughts. Until…

“I want to get married.” He finally admitted.

“We **are** getting married.” (Y/n) answered in a mildly confused tone. She pulled away from her fiancé’s chest and propped her head up against her hand. “Levi?”

“No.” The Corporal sighed. His eyes closed as he tried to get his words in order— so as not to accidentally snap at her— then locked on her when he opened them once more. “I want to get married before I leave for the next expedition.”

The expedition was still a sore subject for both of them, as they still hadn’t reached a concrete end to their debacle. But (Y/n) decided to overlook that little fact, since it was inconsequential compared to hearing Levi actually **ask** for something— other than sex with her, of course.

He really was never one to voice his own wants aloud, so the request came as a surprise to her. 

She, obviously, wasn’t against the idea though. Everyone expected a big wedding, but she couldn’t be bothered to plan one. There were simply too many more important things to put first, other than an event that required so much pomp and circumstance.

Her mother and brother would be furious at her, but she couldn’t care less. Because it meant that she would **officially** be Mrs. Levi Ackerman. No more of that ‘future wife’ bullshit spewed between the two of them.

Getting married would make things between them much more official.

Slowly, a heartfelt smile tugged at the corners of (Y/n)’s lips. She leaned closer to Levi’s face and brushed her lips against his. “I think I’m free tomorrow, Mr. Ackerman.”

Levi scoffed, but let a smile slip onto his face— regardless. “Then use that day to get a nice, white dress to wear. Then, let’s get married the day after tomorrow.”

“With all the times we’ve had sex, I’m hardly a vestal virgin, Levi. White is for those who stay pure until marriage.”

“It counts when you’re marrying the man who took your damn virginity.” The Captain rolled his eyes, but pulled his fiancée flush against his chest once more. His heart was pounding so hard in his chest— that he could feel it in his ears— and he sincerely hoped that she couldn’t feel just how excited and nervous he was.

With a laugh, the (L/n) heiress buried her face against Levi’s chest and wrapped her arms around him as best as she could. “Or what? You’re not going to marry me?”

“ _Tch **.**_ It’s either you wear white or you go naked; makes it easier for me to get started on having those brats with you.”

“Levi!”

“Wear white,” the man whispered, then added in such a gentle tone that it made (Y/n)’s heart swell in her chest. “Please?”

Smiling wide, she nodded. “I’ll get the whitest dress I can find.”

Before (Y/n), Levi didn’t get why people tied themselves down with marriage; the idea of spending the rest of his life being held back by another person didn’t appeal to him the least bit. That was, until he met **her**. It wasn’t until he met the woman in his arms that Levi started to understand why men let themselves be beguiled so much by one woman, to the point that they were prepared to seal their fate with her.

He never got the idea of wanting to tell everyone that he had someone waiting at home for him; not until that first night when he came to visit (Y/n) after a long day of meetings in Mitras. The very thought of letting the whole world know that one woman held his heart used to make him cringe, but that was then.

Now, it had him feeling a sense of smugness for finding something so rare and worthwhile in the hellhole that they were living in.

He wanted everyone to know that (Y/n) was his, as much as he was hers; which was why he was going to take the day tomorrow and dedicate it to getting her the perfect ring. Dare he say it, he was damn **excited** for it.

His motto had always been to do something that he least regretted, and his decision to marry the love of his life was something that had no trace of regret; at all.

***

“I’ll be in town today, Erwin,” Levi announced without preamble as soon as he closed the door to the Commander’s office behind him. “Don’t bother looking for me. Just tell them to leave my papers outside my office.”

A robust, blond eyebrow quirked up at the Captain’s words; as blue eyes pinned him down where he was standing. “Are you going out on an errand?”

“Yeah.”

“And Miss (L/n)?”

“Will be out as well. She has Saturdays and Sundays free, in case you’ve forgotten.” Levi’s eyes narrowed at the blond sitting behind the desk. He didn’t particularly appreciate the knowing glint in the Commander’s eyes, as he knew that Erwin already had a clue as to what would be transpiring tomorrow morning.

It meant that he couldn’t keep anything a secret from Erwin for long. He was bound to find out about the von Kleisser family and their special blood, and he would— no doubt— use (Y/n)’s entire family to further his means. He knew Erwin, and the man was nothing if not tenacious; he was prepared to do **anything** to fight for his own cause.

All while saying that his main goal is to eradicate all titans and free humanity.

When there wasn’t a protest from the blond Commander, Levi immediately made his leave before he could be held back any more. He still had a good half hour of riding to do before he could reach the nearest blacksmith.

As it was, the switchblade that he had in his jacket’s inner pocket already weighed a ton. He couldn’t imagine just how nervous he would be the nearer he got to the man who would make his and (Y/n)’s rings.

Levi had no doubt that (Y/n) would still marry him if he offered her a paper ring, but he wasn’t about to pull a dumbass move and get something generic. No matter what anyone said, his fiancée deserved the entire world; and she sure as hell deserved a fucking amazing ring. Not a flashy one, as she had never been one to flaunt her riches, but something with much more meaning; more sentimental value, per se.

And that was why he had dug up his old switchblade from his trunk, and was prepared to sacrifice it. The knife had been a gift from Farlan and Isabel back when they were in the Underground; and it had been such a splurge for the two, as it was made from hand-forged titanium. It was the last item that he clung on to, to remember his departed friends, but he was willing to part with it so that he could share it with the woman he loved.

The only thing that he regretted, though, was the fact that he couldn’t give (Y/n) a big-ass diamond ring that was befitting of a Queen; not because he was strapped for funds, but because he didn’t have enough time to go to Mitras to barter with a tradesman for a shard of diamond. He was making the best of his situation, and he couldn’t be prouder of himself than at that moment.

Levi had no doubt that the old him would have been balking at just how much he had changed his ideals for a single woman. Well, the old him could suck it.

***

Meanwhile, (Y/n) was already close to tears as she asked the seamstress to zip up the white ready-to-wear wedding dress that she had fancied. Out of all the things that the store had, the empire cut wedding dress was the only one that held her attention; only, it was proving to be difficult, as it didn’t fit.

“I’m sorry, dearie, but it just doesn’t fit.” The elderly seamstress apologized sincerely as she looked into (Y/n)’s eyes through the mirror.

Tears pooled in the brunette’s eyes, but she held them back to keep herself from losing it in the middle of the lady’s store. It wouldn’t do well to attract unwanted attention when she and Levi were trying to keep things as under wraps as possible. “Do you have any more dresses? Anything in white. Please, I’m getting married tomorrow…”

The lady’s brown eyes widened in shock, and she said, “Tomorrow already?”

(Y/n) nodded helplessly. Her brows furrowed a bit in frustration, but she still tried to act as cordially as she could. She was just thankful that the elderly lady hadn’t pinned her down as Levi’s betrothed yet. “My fiancé is leaving for an expedition soon, and he wants to get married… while we still can.”

The woman clearly pitied the (L/n) heiress; as evidenced by her weary gaze and full-on frown, but (Y/n) paid no mind to it. She only cared about Levi and granting his request that she wear a white dress. Though, she didn’t know **why** he would ask for such a thing.

“Well, I have something that’s about to be finished, and it seems just about your size…”

Instantly, (Y/n) pounced on the opportunity presented. “Anything, please. As long as it’s white.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! Thank you for reading!
> 
> I will reply to comments when I wake up in the morning. I am soooo sorry. I'm just really sick rn from pulling in so many hours at the restaurant and just... ugh. I feel horrible.


	23. Chapter 23

Daylight was starting to peek over the horizon in what seemed to be the start of a calm morning. For (Y/n), however, the start of her morning was anything but calm. She had woken up at three in the morning so that she could leave her wedding morning gift for Levi in front of his quarters, then get ready for their wedding ceremony.

The very thought of it was still surreal to her; since she had never imagined— not even in her wildest dreams— that she would be getting married to the love of her young life.

She had avoided Levi— and everyone else in the castle— at all costs; which was why she came back during the time when she knew the cadets would be out training in the grounds with their respective squad leaders. She wouldn’t exactly be able to explain why she was carrying a box that had a wedding gown; especially not if Hange started questioning her about it. 

The sheath bridal grown that adorned (Y/n)’s body looked almost perfect— had it not been for the fact that she had no idea how she was going to do up all the lace buttons on the back of the dress. She had already managed to close up the lower half of the row, but the top half was proving to be quite the challenge. 

As it was, the dress looked nice on her with the flowing tulle skirt, as well as the strapless lace bodice that was being held up by being pinned beneath her arms. She tried to reach behind her to do up at least one more button, but she had to give up as the feeling of a cramp creeping up her arm made her freeze.

It appeared that she had no choice but to ask Levi to help her.

And speaking of Levi, her brain went back to the gifts that she had left for him. It wasn’t anything too grand, as she had been strapped for time, but she had no doubt that her fiancé would find it as an amazing gift.

After all, Levi loved to keep himself well-groomed; more than the average man, even.

***

The moment that Levi opened his door, his eyes immediately landed on the ornate box and the pristine, white envelope that was left on his stoop. He didn’t even have to think about who it was from, as the fine scrawl of his name on the envelope was already a dead giveaway.

His heart thudded harder in his chest as he picked the items up and went back into his room to see what his fiancée had left for him. Hell, his hands were even shaky as they opened the letter and held it in front of his face, so he could read through the lengthy text.

> _Hello My Levi,_
> 
> _You don’t know how nervous I am as I write this letter. My hand is shaking and I’m afraid that you will judge my penmanship for being too unruly. My heart is beating so hard in my chest, that I’m afraid it’s going to come out right now and grace me with its presence._
> 
> _But no, I’m not going that easily. I still have a life to build with you; I can’t go yet._
> 
> _Truly, it’s been a whirlwind romance between us. Even I didn’t see this happening; getting married, planning for kids? I always thought that I would never get to have all of this with you. Not even in my wildest dreams did I see us actually **eloping**. My mother is going to be so furious._
> 
> _No, not because we got married, but because we did it **without her**. But they can all say what they want, all I care about is officially being your wife, my love._
> 
> _No matter how long the road we took to get to this point, I have a strong feeling that the end point had always been fated to be marriage. I wasn’t a strong believer of fate and omnipotent beings, but you’ve changed my standpoint on that. You’ve made me believe in so much more than otherworldly beings… you’ve made me believe in love, Levi._
> 
> _I hope that when we look back on this day years from now, we would still think that this day has been the best decision that we have ever made._
> 
> _I know that I’ve said contrary things before, but I have never regretted loving you. I will never regret my choice to fall in love with you; ever since that first night. I can only hope that you will always feel the same for me._
> 
> _Even if we fight and have many misunderstandings, I hope that you will still be patient with me. When I do something stupid, I hope that you will always hold me close and tell me that everything’s going to be alright. And when I do or say things that hurt your feelings, please always remember that I don’t mean any of them. I’m still learning how to love you, and I have no doubt that I’ll only get better with time._
> 
> _Like a fine whisky, yeah?_
> 
> _You mean more to me than anyone else in this world, Levi, and getting married to you is truly one of the most special moments of my life. Right next to meeting you, of course._
> 
> _That will never change._
> 
> _It will always be you for me. Forever, Levi._
> 
> _With all my love,_
> 
> _Your Wife_

After reading through that, Levi had to reach up and wipe away a few stray tears that had started rolling down his cheeks. His tears, however, were ones of happiness; as opposed to anger and grief. Today truly was a happy day for him.

He read through the letter again, and had to shake off the feeling of excitement that was making him all giddy with a buzzing energy. It served to warm not only his body, but his soul as well; it was a soothing balm against his battered emotions. Hell, it made him want to see (Y/n) all the more— if that was even possible.

He didn’t even take the time to open the ornate box that she had left for him. She would be cross at that fact, but all he really wanted at that moment was to hold her and finally make her his wife.

And so, he set out to go to her room.

Once he was in front of that familiar door of hers— with the familiar light scratches on the wood— he didn’t even bother knocking gently so as not to wake anyone up. He rasped three rough knocks on the wood, and impatiently waited for his fiancée to open up. 

It wasn’t even half a minute when the door opened and (Y/n) stepped into his line of vision. She made an ethereal sight with the early rays of daylight illuminating the white dress she donned, and Levi could swear that his heart had stopped briefly in his chest. 

Now it was beating frantically, as he reached out for her so that he could press his lips to hers.

“Hello,” (Y/n) whispered breathlessly as she pulled away from Levi. Her blue eyes looked into his grey ones, and she could feel her chest tightening at the warmth that she saw in the normally-glacial irises.

The Corporal didn’t say anything; he physically **couldn’t** , because he was afraid that he was going to choke up and start crying in front of her like some shithead. She looked too beautiful for words— her hair was left in a much more tamed fall of light curls, and her face had been highlighted with very minimal make-up, but her lips were painted that deep red that made Levi absolutely needy for her touch. 

Slowly, the brunette reached out and clutched her fiancé’s hands in her own. She then pulled him into her room and closed the door behind them, which made Levi’s eyes widen a fraction of an inch. All the thoughts running through his mind had suddenly turned into a blank, until it was bombarded by images of them getting hot and heavy in her bed— with that wedding dress laying in a heap on the floor. 

“W-we’re going to be late.” He couldn’t believe it, but he had actually **stuttered**. His shame was then evidenced by the light blush coloring his cheeks, but (Y/n) took no notice of it because she was busy turning around to show him the halfway undone buttons of her dress. 

“I know, but this will be quick. Please, Levi? I need you to help me.” The pleading note in her voice made the Captain feel guilty. Was he not fucking her enough? Was his performance in bed starting to go subpar that she wanted to do it **now**? 

(Y/n)’s voice shook him from his self-doubt, though. “Levi? Please do up my buttons. I can’t exactly reach them by myself.”

A small sigh left the Corporal’s lips, and he started to gently fasten the row of buttons at the back of his fiancée’s wedding gown. Unfortunately for him, however, the cheeky woman had caught on to his earlier hesitation and giggled softly. To save him from becoming too defensive, though, she didn’t say anything about it. 

That, and because she had been rendered speechless by the butterfly soft kisses that Levi was trailing up from her shoulder to the side of her neck. “All done.”

***

The wind felt good whipping against (Y/n)’s face, as she and Levi rode out to the house of the government minister that was going to officiate their wedding. She clung tighter to the raven-haired man’s torso as he spurred the horse to go faster; it was either she did that or she got thrown off— and she was not going to ruin this day by messing her clothes up.

Though she wished that she could readjust the veil that was acting like a cape flying out behind her. Not only was it attracting the attention of the early-morning stragglers in Trost, but it was also on the verge of pulling a few strands of hair loose. 

“We’re almost there,” Levi called over the hissing of the wind in (Y/n)’s ears. He then put a hand on top of her entwined ones— that were on his abdomen— and squeezed gently. 

He actually felt sorry that she had to endure the whole ride as she was, because they didn’t have enough time to saddle up more than one horse, before the troops assigned on stable duty started arriving. 

True to Levi’s word, they had made it to the sizeable cottage in the outskirts of Trost in no more than two minutes. When they got there, he immediately got off the horse— then tied it to a post— and helped (Y/n) get down as well. She smiled at him in thanks, and was about to kiss him, when she noticed the slightly askew way that his cravat sat around his neck.

Carefully, the brunette took the ends of the white cloth in her hands and adjusted it until it sat perfectly center. Then, she smoothed her hands over the lapels of Levi’s grey coat as more of an affectionate gesture, than a means to fix his already-impeccable clothes.

“Come on, let’s get married.” Levi beckoned, as he took her hand into his own and proceeded to tug her towards the front door of the cottage.

They weren’t even a few paces away from the door when it was thrown open by Alexei himself. Immediately, (Y/n)’s eyes darted to her fiancé— only to see the slight smile that illuminated his face.

“Is that them?” The familiar voice of Yuliana (L/n) echoed, shrill and excited, as she pushed her son away from the door. 

“You sneaky…” The (L/n) heiress couldn’t even finish her sentence, because her emotions had overcome her words— and she had launched herself at Levi. She wrapped her arms tightly around his shoulders and pressed her face against his neck, in an effort to get herself to focus on him and not the tears that were stinging the backs of her eyes. “Thank you, Levi.” 

It had been a challenge to get someone who was fast enough to deliver his message to the (L/n)s, all while keeping the task as covert as possible, but when Levi had thought of how Mikasa was the perfect person for the job, he didn’t hesitate to assign the task to her.

And it appeared that she didn’t fail, because (Y/n)’s family members were present and currently standing behind her— waiting for their turn to hug his ecstatic bride. 

“I’ll wait for you inside,” was Levi’s only response— partnered with a slight smirk— before he pressed a kiss to (Y/n)’s cheek, then made his way inside the cottage. He didn’t miss greeting his in-laws with curt nods, though.

When the door closed behind the Corporal, (Y/n)’s mother instantly engulfed her in a tight hug that had the younger woman clamoring for space. When she realized that her mother wasn’t relenting, though, she gave up the fight and wrapped her arms around Yuliana just as tightly.

She couldn’t even remember the last time that her mother had hugged her; maybe when she was a toddler? It felt so awkward but, at the same time, it brought more tears to her eyes. 

Yuliana’s hold around her felt warmer and more comforting than that of Levi’s and— for a brief moment— she wondered why she had ever been so cross with her mother. All of those arguments with her made her feel like the worst daughter to ever exist, but she knew that this feeling was fleeting; it was only in the moment, as it was an emotional day for all of them.

That didn’t mean that she wouldn’t cherish the memory forever, though. 

“Come, I have to fix your veil.” Yuliana’s teary voice cut through their emotional silence. She then grabbed her daughter’s hand and led her over a much smaller building behind the expansive cottage.

Once all of the finer adjustments were done, and the white gold, diamond, and sapphire heirloom was fastened to (Y/n)’s hair, all three members of the (L/n) family made their way back to the main cottage where the wedding was going to happen. 

Along the way, however, (Y/n) noticed that Alexei never let go of his hold on her wrist; it was as if she would disappear or run away if he eased his grip on her. “I’m not going anywhere, Alexei.” She decided to tease her brother.

“I know…” the older (L/n) sibling admitted quietly. He then looked over his shoulder to check on his weeping mother, before turning back to his sister. “But do you really have to get married?” 

The question initially rubbed (Y/n) the wrong way, and she tossed and turned her brother’s words in her head so as not to snap at him for being so careless with his question. Silence engulfed the space between the siblings, but it didn’t last long as the younger of the two finally understood what her brother really meant.

“I **want** to get married, because it’s Levi that’s waiting for me in there.” (Y/n) smiled gently at Alexei. “Getting married to him doesn’t mean that I’ll have to stop making your life a living hell, or that I’ll have to start acting properly— Levi’s not like that. He might appear cold and indifferent, but you’ll see how he’s really like with time.” 

“There’s no changing your mind, is there?”

(Y/n) shook her head, still smiling all the while. “No.”

“I’ll have to trust your decision, then.” Alexei sighed, then reached around his sister to lift her veil up and over her head. The gossamer cloth didn’t do much to conceal the excitement in (Y/n)’s features, but it did manage to add a waiflike glow to her person. 

“Ready?” Yuliana asked her children, as she wiped the remnants of more tears from her face.

***

Levi’s heart was pounding so hard in his chest, as he stood by the government minister that he’d bribed to officiate his and (Y/n)’s wedding. The bribe wouldn’t have been necessary, had he wanted everyone within the walls to know about his marriage the moment that he was wed. 

As much as he wanted everyone to know that (Y/n) was finally his wife, he wanted to spend the first few months of their marriage in peace; without any backlash or rumors floating around to ruin their days. As it was, he was already pissed at Mikasa and Armin for letting their fat traps fly blab to their squad mates. To say that he was surprised when he saw all six of his squad members standing by the minister was the understatement of the century. 

He sooner expected a damn titan to come crash his wedding, rather than those brats.

Grey eyes flitted over to the band of soldiers that congregated at one side of the room, and his eyes narrowed dangerously at all of them. Instantly, all the cadets’ eyes flitted away from his glare— as if doing so would save them from their Captain’s wrath. 

He was going to make them clean the entire castle for a month. Two months for Armin and Mikasa. 

The cadets were saved, however, by the quiet creaking of the door.

Instantly, Levi’s gaze flickered up to look at his bride, and it was as if all of the breath was taken from his lungs. He had already seen her earlier, but that didn’t compare to the sight of her now. Now that things were much more official. 

Gasps of awe resonated from his squad, and it took everything in the raven-haired man not to take them by the scruff of their necks and toss them outside. They were ruining the peace and quiet that he intended for this day.

Hell, they could have gotten married in downtown Trost, but he wanted to make it— at the very least— private. 

The early morning light glinted off of the tiara on her head, and a small smirk lifted the corner of the Corporal’s lips. On anyone else, the piece of jewelry would have looked odd and audacious, but on (Y/n)… he didn’t even have the proper words to describe it. She looked every inch of the Queen that she was going to be.

However, future Queens weren’t cheeky enough to wink at their future husbands before blowing them a kiss. Levi swore that he actually fell even more in love with her when she did that; in fact, a low chuckle left his lips as he shook his head at his almost-wife’s antics. 

As she got closer and closer to him, though, he couldn’t help but draw in deeper breaths to help ease the tightness in his chest. And when she was right in front of him, with her hand recently put in his by her brother, he almost felt lightheaded with joy.

If he had to guess what other people felt when they felt real, unparalleled happiness, he would take a gander that what he was feeling at that moment was what most people could only dream about.

“Hi,” (Y/n) whispered breezily, even as a watery smile lifted her lips. 

“I love you,” Levi answered just as quietly, and the resulting smile from his little admission was bright enough to rival that of the rising sun’s rays. And with just that smile, all of Levi’s trepidations and nervousness were silenced; his fears for the coming days were allayed, and all that mattered to him was (Y/n) and her happiness. 

**His** own happiness. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! Sorry this one took a bit longer. I've been really sick as of late and it sucks balls. D:
> 
> But shoutouts to **chae, tenimyuotori, Kat26, and ciagrette** for the amazing comments!!!!!
> 
> Also, who has been listening to Taylor Swift's new album? Ah, it's so perf. I actually was very inspired by 'Daylight' while writing this chapter. While 'Soon You'll Get Better' started making me cry like a baby. Having one parent with a serious illness is difficult enough, but having both of them suffer through a serious illness is even worse. It just hit so close to home with me. Idk. Now I'm emotional again.
> 
> But really, thank you so much, everyone!!! <3


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Sorry about the lack of updates! I just got back from a short vacation with my uni friends, plus I've also been sick as hell, so I caught up on some rest. But there will be much more frequent updates as I start to feel better. Thank you for being patient with me. <3

_Too hot._

Was Levi’s first thought the moment that his mind woke up at six in the morning; like clockwork.

_Too heavy._

His half-roused consciousness grunted aloud in his head. Meanwhile, as his physical body was barely registering the fact that his wife’s left leg was slung over his hip, said wife shifted in her sleeping position and wrapped her arms around his chest. 

**Tightly** , if he may add. And that was what completely forced the Corporal to open his eyes— so he could sleepily glare at the woman that he had made his wife not even a week ago. 

He was completely used to her sleeping habits already, after having been together for five years before getting married, but this was a whole new endeavor to him. Normally, she remained curled up against him when she slept but— as of late— she had taken to clinging tightly to him; both arms and legs, like an unruly vine that was trying to choke whatever poor sap had become tangled in it.

Levi didn’t mind for the most part, but it made it extremely difficult to get out of bed in the morning. Especially when he saw how comfortable she looked in her slumber.

His wife was one sweet sleeper.

“My wife,” Levi mused softly, as a smile lifted the corners of his lips. Gingerly, he leaned forward and pressed his lips to her forehead— as was becoming a habit for him.

Sometimes he envied her for not having to get up at the fucking break of dawn to watch over a few unruly brats. But that was all for the better, because it meant that Erwin hadn’t gotten it into his head to fully assimilate her into becoming a soldier for the corps.

Just so he could take her with them on the upcoming expedition. 

As if sensing the direction of his thoughts, (Y/n)’s arms tightened even more around Levi— as if she didn’t want to let him go— and a heavy sigh left the man’s lips. He knew that she wanted to go because of him, but he couldn’t allow that. Not only was she going to be putting herself in tremendous danger, but she was also going to be a distraction for Levi.

All he would be able to think about while out there was her safety. At least, if she were within the walls, he would be assured that she would be safe. 

But he also knew that she would never let him get his way. Succumbing to his wishes would be too easy and boring for (Y/n); it simply wasn’t in her blood to be easily compliant to anyone. She was too stubborn for her own good most of the time.

Levi’s right hand drifted down to rest on his wife’s thigh— which was still slung over his hip— and he curled his fingers into the underside of the smooth flesh, before moving up and down in a gentle caress. He would never admit it aloud, but (Y/n)’s legs were his most favorite part of her. 

She was perfect in every aspect— for him— but he had an unexplainable fondness for her legs. Most men chose over tits or ass, but no— not him. Levi was a leg man; though, he only had eyes for his wife’s legs. Everyone else was simply inferior to her.

“Six already?” (Y/n)’s rough, sleep-laced voice cut through the silence in the room. And slowly, her hands snaked down her husband’s back— only to settle on the firm cheeks of his ass. She gave a cheeky squeeze to the bare flesh, then grinned when she heard Levi’s sharp intake of breath. “Good morning, my love.”

Abruptly, a pink flush colored the Corporal’s cheeks, as his eyes averted themselves from his wife’s face. She had dropped the affectionate nickname more than once, but it never ceased to make him blush. It was truly pathetic— being reduced to a mundane reaction over a simple term. He had no doubt that Erwin would laugh at him for that; the bastard.

“Do you have to check up on Armin and the others?” 

He nodded. “They still have a few more weeks of cleaning duty.” 

“I still think that it wasn’t right to punish them for crashing our wedding. I know that— deep down— you were glad that they were there; in fact, I think you wanted Hange and Erwin there as well.” (Y/n) teased softly, once again squeezing Levi’s ass cheeks before dissolving into a fit of giggles at his flippant expression. 

“Four-eyes would have told everyone within the walls as soon as we got back.” Levi grumbled, almost unintelligibly as he pressed his cheek against the brunette’s hair. 

“I would get all the jealous glares from your admirers as soon as I got back. Hell, I think a few cadets will try to intimidate me into divorcing you.” She leaned forward and pressed her lips against Levi’s collar bone. “In their fucking dreams. You’re mine now, Levi Ackerman. No more take backs. I don’t have a return policy, as I’m sure my mother made clear to you.”

At that, a short chuckle left the Captain’s lips. “I wouldn’t dream of it, princess.” 

“So, how about picking up where we left off last night?” (Y/n) trailed off suggestively. “I want my baby, Captain Levi.”

The proposition was tempting, and Levi was just about to give in when the loud clang of a metal bucket dropping on the floor echoed out in the hallway. It was then followed by frantic, yet hushed yelps of ‘hurry up’, ‘Captain Levi’s going to kill us’, and other various sentiments involving his squad’s imminent death under his wrath.

With a click of his tongue, he pressed one more kiss to the top of his wife’s head— more to calm himself than to soothe her. “I’ll see you at breakfast.”

***

Levi’s gaze was riveted. No matter how hard he tried to focus on anything but (Y/n), his attention always seemed to go back to her. The way she spoke was cool and aloof at best, but the fiery glint in her eyes wasn’t lost to the Corporal as they sat with Erwin and Hange.

The other squad leaders should have been there as well, but they weren’t privy to most of the information that circulated within the four people in Erwin’s office. They knew that (Y/n) was from outside the walls, and that she was part of nobility, but they didn’t know much else about her. 

It wasn’t that they weren’t important enough to know but, this time, Erwin was playing his cards close to his chest. He couldn’t take the chance of anything about the (L/n) family leaking and causing an unneeded uprising within the walls.

“Do you know anything about the enemy? He is also from Marley, much like you. He goes by the name of Zeke.” The blond Commander asked, as a hint of suspicion colored his tone.

Levi did **not** appreciate that. **At all**.

Erwin gave a brief description of the man, and (Y/n) nodded, as she recognized the name as well as the described features. 

“The suspicion in your tone is less than necessary, Commander Smith,” (Y/n) answered softly, but with a tight smile of her own. “I know that his father was branded as a criminal, and that he became a soldier to be an honorary Marleyan. But that’s the extent of my knowledge on him. He wasn’t exactly part of the upper echelon in Marley; though he did serve as a guard during our parties on more than one occasion.”

“What about your brother? Will he have any information on him?” A robust brow quirked up, just as the man himself crossed one leg over the other.

If he was trying to intimidate (Y/n), it wasn’t working. Yuliana (L/n) was far more intimidating with a frown on her face, as opposed to anyone else in the known universe. (Y/n) had been trained well by her mother.

And so, the Lady herself mirrored the Commander’s actions, then steepled her fingers on top of her knee— as a subtle dig at what he couldn’t do. She liked Erwin Smith, she really did; she just didn’t appreciate the way that he was grilling her for information at the moment. He was hoping that she would slip up and clue him in to the secret of her bloodline, but she wasn’t gullible enough to fall for his underhanded tactics.

“My brother was a clergyman under surveillance, Commander. I’m sure that the least of his concerns was a renegade soldier.” (Y/n) offered drolly, yet still maintained the polite intonation to her voice. “But I’m sure that I wasn’t called here just for this, Commander Smith.”

A small smirk lifted one corner of the blond’s lips, and the sight of it made the trepidation in Levi’s gut increase ten-fold. He **knew**. He just **knew** that the bastard wouldn’t let the opportunity go. He wanted to stand up and pummel his commanding officer’s face in, but (Y/n)’s gentle hand on his arm stopped him. 

The simple, thin band on his wife’s finger glinted beneath a stray ray of light, but it didn’t calm him like the sight of it always did. This time, it made his heart feel heavy in his chest. It made him realize that he was going to lose so much more **now** — if he lost her— than he had ever thought he could. The protest was burning on the tip of his tongue, but he was silenced by the determined look on his wife’s face.

 _Could I take this away from her? Could I be selfish again and make her wait for me to come home?_ Levi thought to himself, only to be taken back to the present by Erwin’s voice. 

“As you know, the next expedition is coming up, Miss (L/n). In the past, we never had a medical doctor with us, which contributed a great deal to the Survey Corps’ mortality rate. In my opinion, having you with us would increase our chances of survival.” Erwin smiled— a small quirk of his lips that seemed warm and innocent on the outside. 

However, (Y/n) wasn’t fooled. She could tell, even without looking at Hange’s surprised expression, that involving such a green recruit in an expedition was not the norm. It was a recipe for disaster, but the (L/n) heiress couldn’t deny her need to protect her husband— all while helping other soldiers in need on the field. Her own selfishness won out over her rational thinking, and she found herself nodding.

“That is, if your husband will agree,” The blond stated with a slight smirk, just as he leveled a knowing look at the Corporal. “Will you allow Lady (Y/n) to join us, Levi?” 

Levi didn’t even have to think about **how** in the fucking world Erwin knew about his and (Y/n)’s marriage. The rings were a dead giveaway, and so was their absence for two days straight the week before. Only someone with merely two braincells to rub together wouldn’t be able to figure things out.

He wanted to say **‘fuck no’** to that question, yet his own feelings for his wife held him back. He trusted that she would keep herself safe, and that she could learn to use the Maneuver Gear as good as him before the expedition, but that little voice of doubt in the back of his head kept asking him…

 _What if he lost her?_ What would he do then?

Her cerulean eyes connected with his grey ones, and all his doubts were quieted by the pleading look in her irises. If she died, he had no trepidations with following her to the afterlife.

If it even existed. And if reincarnation was real, he would find her in their next life and do it all over again with her. He had no doubt about that.

“Only if she gets her own protection detail.” Levi answered gruffly, all while pinning Erwin beneath a hostile glare. It was risky enough to bring her into titan-infested territory, but with the added threat of Zeke and his lackeys, it just made things all the more difficult. “And if things get fucked up, she would be the first to leave. Her life is much more important than any of ours.”

“Because she’s your wife now?” Hange piped up; her face as serious as her tone. “Or because of something that you’re not telling us.” 

The husband-and-wife pair exchanged a glance and, with a minute nod, they decided to divulge part of (Y/n)’s secret to their comrades. (Y/n) cleared her throat, then spoke, “Because I’m set to inherit Marley’s throne after this war.”

If it was even possible, the predatory glint in Erwin’s eyes grew even more vibrant at the revelation. He was righteous to a point, but he was also a tyrant. A self-serving tyrant.

And as (Y/n) went into more detail about how that fact came to be, the blond Commander grew more and more interested in her. He knew that he could use her to further his cause, if things played out nicely, but that was only if Levi was still compliant with him.

The hand on Levi’s arm tightened minutely, before it drifted up and laced its fingers with his own hand. That served to ease his frazzled nerves a little— because it meant that no matter what happened, (Y/n) was with him; as he was with her. 

His vows, at that moment, played in the forefront of his mind. It was more than appropriate, which was why he had thought to say it to her. 

_‘I will always be with you; there will never come a time that you won’t hold my heart. I will always be yours… eternally. I promise, (Y/n).’_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! As you all know from the note in the beginning, I'm still sick as fuck. But I'll try to update more often.
> 
> Ahhh were finally getting close to THAT scene. My god I don't want to kill everyone off, but it's necessary. Oh, and please look forward to the plot twist that everyone has been expecting. Loads of foreshadowing on that one. Ahhh, basically, this whole story is an ode to FORESHADOWING. Like all my other stories. >:D I just hate it when something springs at me out of nowhere. Like where's the context on that plot twist?
> 
> Like a well-made stew, I like to simmer everything on a low heat for a loooong time, before I taste it and I'm hit by all the good flavors all at once. >:D So please, be patient with me as I write this disaster waiting to happen. <3


	25. Chapter 25

It had been way too long since (Y/n) had felt the familiar thrill of sex with Levi coursing through her body. As it consumed her now, she couldn’t help but succumb to the heady temptation of relinquishing **everything** to her husband.

His cravat covered her eyes completely, yet the juxtaposition of being sightless but still seeing stars wasn’t lost on her. With every pass of Levi’s tongue on her skin, a gasp would escape her lips; and with every brush of his fingertips against her clit, her entire body would writhe in pleasure.

She tried to reach out and touch him, but the belt restraining her wrists together was held down by his left hand. “Do you want me to eat you out, princess?”

A tiny whimper passed (Y/n)’s lips as Levi bit down on her ear lobe. “Yes. Please, Levi.”

(Y/n) felt a chill crawl over her skin, just as the ghost of her husband’s smirk brushed against her bare chest. He planted a chaste kiss against the valley of her breasts, then let go of his hold on her so that he could position himself between her legs.

Deftly, the Corporal slung her legs over his shoulders and gripped her thighs tightly, before delving in. The first circle of his tongue against her clit had her hips bucking up in ecstasy, which had him pushing her down by her right hip. “Too much?”

In response, the brunette merely bit down on her bottom lip and shook her head. A short chuckle left Levi’s lips at that, and then he was back to running his tongue up and down her slit; driving her crazy with every caress of the muscle against her clit— and making her practically cum when he slipped that devilish tongue inside her.

Her arms were starting to hurt with the strain of having to keep them still and, when Levi moved back up her body to sling her arms around his neck, a sigh of relief left her lips— only to be followed by a strained moan when her husband slipped his thick cock inside her soaked cunt.

“L-Levi, _mm_ , **fuck**. That feels so good,” (Y/n) stammered out through saucy moans, which Levi responded to by quickening his pace and increasing the strength with which he pounded into her. The bed was starting to rock so violently that the headboard was rhythmically hitting the cobblestone wall, but the couple couldn’t care less.

All that was important to them was their release.

With every pant, moan, and grunt, they worked to get to the peak of their ecstasy; with more effort from Levi than from (Y/n)— for obvious reasons. And when the Corporal reached his peak, he pressed his lips tightly against his wife’s to muffle her pleasured cry of his name.

***

(Y/n)’s heart was thudding so hard in her chest, that it felt like it was going to cease beating with how overworked it already was. No matter how hard she tried to calm it, and herself, down, she couldn’t seem to do so; not even when she looked around her and saw the numerous Survey Corps soldiers surrounding her.

Her gaze flitted to the man walking beside her, and she felt a little reprieve at the reassuring sight of her husband’s ever-stoic face. She wanted to reach out and hold on to him, but she knew that that would be an unbecoming gesture towards a high-ranking officer.

She didn’t even care if it fired up the gossip mill once more. All she cared about was that it would tarnish Levi’s reputation as a respectable officer.

Levi, however, sensed the fear that practically emanated from his wife. He looked towards her with that stoic expression of his, then looked back at her calm horse as she held its reigns in her right hand. That left her left hand free— as the soldier that he had tasked as one of her protection detail escorts illuminated the path for her.

Slowly, under the cover of darkness, the Corporal reached out and slipped his firm hand into his wife’s cold one.

Her wide-eyed gaze snapped up to his, and the blank expression that she forced on her face melted into an affectionate one that had his heart swelling in his chest. “I love you,” she whispered to him, but the words served to echo towards unwanted spectators.

Spectators like Hange.

“How sweet of you love birds,” the scientist piped up teasingly.

“Mind your own business, Hange.” Levi clicked his tongue irately, but never eased his grip on his wife’s hand. As if a few curious stares would get him to let go of the love of his life. They could look all they wanted— even make a spectacle of him— but he couldn’t care less about them.

(Y/n) was what mattered. Not his embarrassment, nor anyone else’s nosiness.

“Titan to the left!” Someone in the formation bellowed, and the (L/n) heiress’ hold on her husband’s hand tightened even more at the illuminated sight of the slumbering titan. The mere sight of it was frightening, but something much deeper— akin to a foreboding feeling— bubbled up inside her.

And that feeling only increased ten-fold when Hange said to leave it alone.

She couldn’t say anything after that, deigning to dismiss her own trepidations as nothing more than being unfounded thoughts— mere exaggerations of her frazzled mind after seeing a titan up-close.

But there was more to her fears than merely seeing that Titan; she was sure of it.

“Are you tired?” Levi asked quietly, opting to walk closer to (Y/n) as the night grew colder. He wanted to wrap his arm around her, and also put the extra layer of his cloak over her shoulders, but doing so would be too obvious— not to mention the fact that it would also compromise their carefully crafted plan.

“I’m fine,” (Y/n) answered just as quietly. But she was far from fine. Her legs ached, she was chilled to the bone, and her right hand was starting to cramp with how tight it gripped her horse’s reigns. However, she couldn’t admit that to Levi, as doing so would just make him unnecessarily worry about her. Hell, he might even send her back home to Trost. “Please don’t worry too much about me.”

“I can’t help it,” the Captain admitted in a gruff whisper, which made the brunette holding his hand crack a small smile. That served to ease some more of his worries, thankfully.

Unbeknownst to them, the entirety of the soldiers within hearing range were all tuning in to their whispered conversation. And, had Levi known that most of them were gushing about how adorable he was being towards (Y/n), he would have already hung them by their toes and beat them to a pulp.

***

(Y/n) didn’t know how it had ended up like it had. A clusterfuck would be putting things mildly; and as she scanned the dead bodies that littered almost every available surface, she couldn’t help but freeze up.

Levi was trying to keep her from this. She should have listened to him, but listening to him would have equaled never seeing him again. At least here, they would perish together.

And to think that everything had been going so well.

“Lady (Y/n), we have to go,” One of the members of her protection detail, Michelle— if she remembered correctly, stammered frantically as she touched the (L/n) heiress’ bicep. That served to shake the brunette out of her stupor, as her mind cleared up and her consciousness was rooted back to the present. “It’s the Captain’s orders.”

“No.” Levi’s wife shook her head defiantly. “Where’s Levi?”

She didn’t even wait for an answer, instead opted to run across two buildings when she saw a sliver of Erwin Smith’s familiar blond hair. Wherever he was, her husband was sure to be there. And she wasn’t wrong in that assumption, because the two of them sat huddled together.

It looked like Erwin was saying his regrets; as a final farewell. He was willing to sacrifice himself as a distraction, and it seemed that was the best option for all of them at the moment.

“I don’t know what Grisha Jäger left in his basement, but I can tell you what I **do** know,” (Y/n) cut in as she marched up to the pair.

Levi’s eyes widened in disbelief, before narrowing in annoyance at her presence. He had told her protection detail minutes ago to get her out of there by any means necessary, and it appeared that they had failed. “What are you still doing here?”

“You really expect me to leave you here, Levi?” The brunette answered in a clipped tone; one that warranted no protests. And it worked, as the Corporal merely clicked his tongue, before formulating another plan to get her the fuck out of there.

Erwin’s gaze flitted from his soldier, to the woman talking down on them with all the air of nobility surrounding her. She wasn’t even a queen yet, but here she was filling the role perfectly. A sardonic smile tugged at the corners of his lips, as the thought of how hard his friend’s married life will become crossed his mind. “There’s no use in knowing it if I’m just going to die in a few minutes.”

A brown, well-shaped eyebrow quirked up as blue eyes narrowed irately at the moping Commander. “I didn’t think that I tyrant such as yourself would give up so easily. But I guess I was wrong, Erwin Smith. Your father would be so ashamed if he saw you right now.”

Both men’s eyes darted up to (Y/n); surprise written all over their faces as the woman mercilessly went on. “Of course I looked up everything I could about the man who made a deal with my father. I wasn’t going into this blind. The only thing I wasn’t expecting was meeting your Corporal, Commander.”

With a smug smirk, the brunette continued, “As you already know, you’re not the last humans on Earth. What my father neglected to tell you was that the entire world hated the Eldian race for lording the power of the seven titans over them. My people, the people of Marley, drove your king to retreat here in Paradis and made a threat that he would unleash great titans upon the world if anyone were to ever disturb his kingdom again.”

“(Y/n),” Levi called a soft but curt warning to his wife, but said wife merely sent him a small smile and a shrug.

“He needs to know this, Levi.” She didn’t even know what their plan was, or what was going to happen to all of them, but if what she was going to reveal gave Erwin more strength to fight for his life, then she would do it. She had no doubt that he was one of the greatest commanders that the Survey Corps had ever had, and to lose him would be a great loss.

Not to mention the fact that it would hurt her husband even more than the loss of his squad.

“But there’s a way to end this curse. Once I take the Marleyan throne, we will destroy everything that has to do with titan science, so that no one could make such monstrosities again. And we will eradicate all traces of the remaining titans with my family’s blood.” (Y/n) sounded so sure of herself that it made a pool of guilt start to bubble up in the pit of her stomach. She was starting to sound much like a fraud, even to her own ears, but she deemed it as a necessity at the moment.

And it worked, because Erwin had sat up straighter— as if his sense of purpose had been renewed in that short time. Deep down, he knew that he was still going to die but, at the very least, he was happy that he was sure that he would be leaving the world with proof that his father’s beliefs weren’t unfounded after all.

But when they discussed the plan, it took everything in (Y/n) to not dissolve into a screaming match with Levi. She trusted that he would try to make it out of there alive, but when he said that she **had** to leave at that moment… well, that didn’t sit well with her.

“We’re all out of medical supplies, and most of the recruits are as good as dead. There’s no use in you being here anymore, (Y/n),” Levi laid the facts blatantly in front of her. It stung, but it was the truth. “I swear to you that I will come back alive. Trust me, (Y/n). Please. You have to go.”

The quiet plea in her husband’s tone wasn’t enough to assuage the fear that she felt, but she couldn’t really do anything about the situation. It was either he tried to take out the Beast Titan, or all of them died.

She had the choice to choose the lesser of the two evils, but it was more of having no other choice than for Levi to **try** getting rid of the enemy. All while she made her hasty escape.

And so, with an unrestrained kiss that— honestly— made the Corporal a bit lightheaded, the trio set off to do their assigned tasks.

With the assistance of the four members of her protection detail, (Y/n) made her way towards the East side of the wall to avoid being detected by the Beast Titan. No matter how much she wanted to look over her shoulder and check on Levi, she **couldn’t**.

Because looking at him would make her want to stay all the more. She had to trust that he would find his way back to her; alive. He promised, and he **always** kept his promises.

However, when she was about to use her Maneuver Gear to scale up the side of the wall, all she heard was a rapid thudding against the ground before she was snatched up. When she looked up at what had gotten her, her heart almost stopped as the sight of the Cart Titan greeted her.

“Levi!” (Y/n) cried helplessly as the titan ran towards its master. No matter how hard she tried to free herself from the abomination’s teeth, she couldn’t move to even attach a blade to her 3DMG’s triggers.

“Levi!” She cried again, as tears sprung up into her eyes. Never had she felt so helpless in her life, and it was at that moment that she knew… she was going to die. "Please. I don't want to die."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, hello! Thank you so much, everyone for being patient with me!!!! <3  
> And no, the Reader isn't going to die. At least, I don't think so. Ehehehehe.
> 
> I'll see you guys in the next one.
> 
> Oh, and thank you so much for all the kudos and the comments! <3 I love all of you.


	26. Chapter 26

(Y/n) fully expected herself to become titan fodder the moment that the Cart Titan had picked her up. But such wasn’t the case, as the abomination carried her a few paces away from where the Beast Titan was still wreaking havoc upon the remaining Survey Corps soldiers.

The (L/n) heiress couldn’t even bear to look at the corpses that littered the ground. And so, she opted to close her eyes as more tears slid down her cheeks. She wanted to give in to the dark thoughts in her mind, but hearing Levi’s livid cries bolstered the fight that she had in her. 

Blue eyes forced themselves to open and scan the area, only to see nothing but the titan’s face and teeth to her right, and open space to her left. However, (Y/n) craned her neck even further to the left to get a good look at where she could latch her 3DMG hook onto. And when she saw the lifeless titan a few feet away, she knew that she had only one chance at doing it.

She just had to wait for the damn beast to turn its head slightly.

But things didn’t pan out exactly how she wanted it to, as the titan had practically spat her out before darting away. She barely had time to press the trigger in her hand, before she was zooming off towards the 12-meter titan’s facedown corpse.

With the ungracefulness of her fall, the entire left side of her body slammed against the deteriorating lump of flesh with a sickening crack. She then had no doubt that her arm was broken, maybe even her ankle; but that was the least of her concerns as she sprang up on to her feet and looked for her husband.

One second he was standing near the Beast Titan’s body, and the next he was darting towards her. “Are you alright?”

No matter how hard (Y/n) bit down on her bottom lip and forced herself to nod, she found herself shaking her head and choking on a sob before she flung herself at her husband. Immediately, Levi’s arms wrapped themselves around her; pulling her close to his bloody chest and pressing chaste kisses to the side of her face. Chasing down the Cart Titan was the least of his worries at that very moment.

Gingerly, the Corporal let go of his 3DMG’s triggers, so that he could wrap his arms tightly around his wife. She buried her face against the crook of his neck, sobbing uncontrollably all the while. Her entire body shook with the remnants of fear and adrenaline in her system, but she managed to lift her right arm up and encircle it around Levi’s waist.

The grip that her fingers had on the back of his jacket was less than comfortable, but he didn’t say anything about it as he noticed the limp way that her left arm was hanging. And it didn’t take long after noticing that to discern the way that she put her entire body’s weight on her right foot.

Anger pooled at the pit of Levi’s stomach; steadily bubbling up into another murderous rage as the fact sank in: he had almost lost his wife. He knew that he **never** should have let her come. She should have stayed in Trost— where it was fucking safe.

He couldn’t help but blame himself for his own ineptitude.

“Stop, Levi. This isn’t your fault.” (Y/n)’s tear-thickened voice cut through the silence between them. “I never should have forced you to let me go. I’m so sorry.”

At that, the Corporal clicked his tongue in a halfhearted response, before burying the lower half of his face in (Y/n)’s hair; all so he could keep her from seeing the tears that were rolling down his face.

Never again was he going to make the same mistake.

It took them quite a while and a bit more effort from Levi, but both of them got back within Shiganshina with (Y/n) rid of her damaged 3DMG, and snug in her husband’s arms. The trip jostled her injuries way too much, but they had no other choice in the matter. They couldn’t exactly hire a carriage in the middle of that clusterfuck.

And once the couple stood atop the wall, the murderous rage inside Levi had tripled at the sight of Zeke strapped to the Cart Titan’s cargo. He wanted to jump down there and slaughter him like the pig that he was, but not only was he almost out of gas, he was also carrying (Y/n).

He had half a mind to set her down with Eren and chase after that bastard of a titan, but when he looked down at his wife, his blood ran cold in his veins. She laid limp in his arms; head lolling to the side as her right arm cradled her left hand against her chest.

It didn’t take a genius to figure out just how badly she was injured, if it caused her to lose consciousness like that.

***

“He knows the truth, Levi, that’s enough.” (Y/n) comforted in a somber tone. She reached her right hand out and used it to cup her husband’s cheek, which made him look up at her with those forlorn eyes of his. 

The (L/n) heiress had come to a few hours ago, and in that time had had the scouts acting as her hands as they bandaged Sasha and Armin up according to her instructions. She would have preferred to do it by herself, but her fractured radius, fibula, and ribs kept her from doing much else. As it was, she was biting down the urge to scream with every movement she made, since they didn’t have the luxury of having any painkillers on-hand.

She ran the pad of her thumb over Levi’s cheek, affectionately caressing the soft skin before offering the man himself a miniscule smile. “Armin will have big shoes to fill as the Corps’ new strategist, but you need to have faith in him.”

Still, the Corporal remained silent. He couldn’t find it in him to answer; not even if the one that he was talking to was his wife. He just didn’t have the right words to say, and he feared that what was going to come spewing from his mouth would dampen her spirits even more. She had already been through a traumatic experience; he didn’t need to add any more kindling to that fire.

“Trust in him, okay?” (Y/n) whispered under her breath, then let her hand drift down to the side of the raven-haired man’s neck. Slowly, she pulled him down so that he could use her lap as a pillow.

He didn’t even protest; that was how tired he was.

Wordlessly, Levi succumbed to the calming ministrations of (Y/n) running her fingers through his hair. She would occasionally tug on a few strands, but that only served to lull him closer to slumber. And when she started humming— albeit a little off-key— he finally gave in to his fatigue and closed his eyes.

She would never admit it to him, so as not to add to the burden he carried, but never had she felt so useless in her life than at that moment. Her purpose in joining the expedition was to lessen the death toll on the Survey Corps, instead, she had gone and injured herself.

And then she had **fainted**.

(Y/n) could have done so much more, but she was knocked out of commission by her own fault. Had she listened to Levi and stayed in Trost, she wouldn’t have been such a huge distraction for him or any of the other soldiers. Had she been conscious, she could have-

“There’s nothing you could have done to save Erwin.” Levi’s muffled voice cut her asinine thoughts short. How he could have known the direction her thoughts had gone, she would never know. Then again, Levi wasn’t her husband for nothing. “He was going to die even if you had helped him.”

“We don’t know that for sure,” (Y/n) protested weakly; her voice taking on a thicker tone as tears pricked the backs of her eyes. Her fingers stilled their rhythmic movements across Levi’s scalp, before resuming once more. “I’m sorry, Levi.”

“This is as much my fault as it is yours,” the Corporal answered with a hint of reluctance straining his voice. He was merely speaking the truth, but that didn’t make it any easier to swallow. Both of them knew just how badly things could have played out, and they were more than thankful that both of them were still alive. “But as you said, you’re still learning how to love me. The same applies to me. I’m still learning how to love and care for you as well, (Y/n). I’m sorry that I couldn’t be there to protect you earlier.”

“You were only doing your job, Levi. I understand completely.”

Levi shook his head against her thigh, as his hands clenched tightly into fists. Still, (Y/n) didn’t cease her calming ministrations as she saw just how well it helped calm her husband down. “But I should have been there to save you. What if…”

He couldn’t even finish his sentence as he choked up on his emotions.

“I’m still here, Levi.” (Y/n) reassured her husband softly. “I’ll always be here. I promise, my love.”

***

“So Zeke is actually Eren’s half-brother?” (Y/n) asked curiously as she flipped the photograph of the first Jäger family in her hands. After much protest, Levi had given in and allowed her to read and affirm the contents of Grisha Jäger’s journals— all while she stayed in his bed, though.

The trip had been made smoother with the help of some leftover medicine in the late doctor’s basement, and she hadn’t been allowed to move ever since they had gotten back to the castle. That was three days ago, and now (Y/n) was itching to go outside to get some fresh air. Not even having Levi give her showers was helping assuage that need.

Levi nodded as he sat down on the edge of his bed. “What I want to know is **why** the Cart Titan targeted **you**. It appears to have some form of intelligence, so having it go after you wasn’t a random decision.”

(Y/n) had wondered that as well, but initially dismissed the idea because she didn’t know enough about titans to figure it out on her own. She had just been waiting for Hange to visit her before asking her opinion. But, alas, the Survey Corps’ new Commander still had yet to visit little ol’ her.

“I honestly don’t know, Levi.” The brunette admitted softly as she gazed at her husband. He looked deep in thought for a few seconds, before his features morphed into ones that depicted a sudden realization.

It was a far-fetched idea, and (Y/n) would probably give him an earful for even suspecting it, but he had to check.

He had to see if Greta had something to do with his wife’s brush with death.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! Thank you so much for the comments!
> 
> I promise I will reply tomorrow, after I;ve gotten enough sleep. <3


	27. Chapter 27

The entire house was empty when Levi had forced the front door open.

It wasn’t that he was expecting the complete opposite of what greeted him; that wasn’t the case at all. In fact, he fully anticipated Greta’s absence from her rented house. What took the Corporal by surprise though, was the sight of all the woman’s personal effects still where he had seen them when he had picked up (Y/n) all those weeks ago.

What was different, however, was the small piece of parchment on top of the coffee table.

Gingerly, Levi picked it up and read the inscription of his wife’s name and title on the back of the paper.

> _Erzherzogin (Y/n) von Kleisser, Crown Princess of Marley_

He flipped the note over and his eyes narrowed in irritation at the four simple words that said so little, but explained so much:

> _I’m sorry, my Queen._

“Fuck,” Levi cursed under his breath, as his eyes continued boring holes into the note in his hand. The longer he stared at it, the clearer things became to him. Greta’s unwarranted respect for him, her courtly actions towards (Y/n), and her general reverence for his wife; all of it made sense to him at that moment.

And he couldn’t believe just how blind he had been, when that rat of a woman had been operating under his nose all this time. He didn’t even want to think about how things would have played out had he not sought (Y/n) out the night that he was injured. Hell, she had the prime opportunity to do what she wanted to (Y/n) in the year that they had been apart, but it seemed that she was working with a timeline.

It didn’t take a genius to piece everything together after that.

Greta had been involved with something greater than just herself, and Levi suspected that it had to do with Zeke Jäger, because her sudden disappearance played perfectly with the appearance of the Cart Titan.

Completely incensed, Levi kicked the table into the far wall— splintering the wood and making a mess of the immaculately clean place. He shook his head and clicked his tongue in irritation, before proceeding to flip the entire house over in search of more evidence of her involvement with the other Jäger bastard.

It took almost an hour, and quite a few broken drawers, before Levi found what he was looking for: letters from Annie, Reiner, and even Bertolt. The more that he read through the correspondences, the worse his temper flared. He wanted to go out there and hunt the witch down, before killing her in the slowest and most painful way possible.

Apparently, she was new to being a shifter. She had had to eat a woman named Pieck two years ago to get the Cart Titan’s form. And if he remembered correctly, Greta **had** asked for a month off around that time. She had said that she needed to visit her ailing sister and tie up some loose ends back in her home town, to which (Y/n) had kindly agreed to.

If only he’d known what was really going to transpire, he would have lopped her head off back then. It, at the very least, would have saved (Y/n) from getting badly injured. And it also would have decreased his wife’s crazy group of fanatics by one lunatic.

He wasn’t sure how many members of the ‘(Y/n) von Kleisser fan club’ existed but, based on what he read in some of the letters, it was only Greta on Paradis; but more of them existed in Marley. And, apparently, those other fanatics were **envious** of her.

The Corporal didn’t exactly know how to take that news. All he knew was that all the talk of (Y/n) ‘von Kleisser’ was getting tedious; it was (Y/n) **Ackerman** now. Those dumbasses better get that into their thick skulls before he decimated their numbers. He wasn’t really trained in the subtle art of torture, but he would have gladly dirtied his hands with their filth if it meant that he could make them suffer.

Hell, it wasn’t even clear what they wanted with (Y/n), but it was obvious that it wasn’t anything good. Greta wouldn’t have left an apology note— or gone into hiding or whatever— if she wasn’t going to be putting her mistress’ life on the line; because she knew that once Levi found out, she would be long dead by morning.

It took a few more hours of searching and literally flipping through objects, but Levi found no more noteworthy items that belonged to Greta. There was that one dress of (Y/n)’s with an abysmal ink stain hanging in the wardrobe, but he didn’t even want to delve into that.

***

“Is something the matter, Levi?” (Y/n) asked softly over the rim of her tea cup. Her eyes darted up to look at her pacing husband, before flitting back down to the porcelain she had in her good hand. She then set the tea cup down on the edge of the bedside drawer nearest to her.

Something **was** the matter, and it was a really important one, but Levi didn’t know how to broach the subject. Normally, he would just come out with it without thought to the other person’s personal feelings, but **this was his wife** that he was talking to. He cared about how she would react and— more importantly— how the news would make her feel.

She would be crushed when she found out that her trusted housekeeper had been plotting something concerning her all along. Not only that, but said housekeeper had known more than she had let on— and still acted so finely that she hadn’t been detected until now.

If it weren’t for the Cart Titan incident, who would’ve known just how long Greta would have been able to keep the ruse up?

“You’re worrying me, Levi. Please just tell me what’s bothering you,” the brunette pleaded earnestly. And Levi, in turn, stopped his pacing so that he could focus his attention all on (Y/n). His eyes scanned over her propped-up form, just as a sigh left his lips.

She already looked so fragile with those casts on her; he didn’t want to add to that by making her feel even worse.

And so, he deduced that he couldn’t crush his wife’s feelings. Not now, and maybe not until he knew how to break the news to her. He needed help, but he had no idea who to approach at this time. Hange wasn’t going to be any help, since she was still so engrossed in those journals; and he couldn’t exactly bring Erwin back to life to ask for advice.

With that realization also came his own feelings of guilt from keeping something from his wife. He had sworn to always be honest with her, and here he was about to break that promise. What would that make him, then? He would be no better than all the other men out there who lied outright to their own wives.

“Greta was the Cart Titan.” The words had just spilled from his lips without preamble, and he wanted to hit himself as soon as he saw (Y/n)’s wide, blue eyes.

Inevitably, the (L/n) heiress’ eyebrows furrowed together before her expression just… fell. She looked hurt and betrayed, but she also looked resigned; as if part of her had known all along that Greta wasn’t completely on her side.

(Y/n) remained quiet, even as Levi sat down adjacent to her and cupped her left cheek tenderly. Tears glistened in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. The last thing she wanted was to cry over a traitor; no matter how much she had been fond of them.

Her will and her body’s reactions weren’t quite in agreement, though; as, slowly, the brunette’s tears slid down her cheeks. Levi wiped most of them away with the pad of his thumb, yet they were only replaced by more tears. Her heart was breaking, and this was the only way she knew how to cope with it at the moment.

Carefully, the Corporal slipped his boots off before sitting right beside his wife. His movements were slow and a bit jerky so as not to jostle her injuries too much, but he had successfully cradled her against his side while she cried. His right arm was snug around her shoulders, while his right hand would occasionally wipe more of her tears away.

“What does she want from me?” Tearfully, the brunette asked. It broke Levi’s heart to hear such sadness in her voice, but he couldn’t do anything about it but let her grieve the loss of someone she considered to be a good friend. All he could do was give her the answers that she sought, no matter how unsavory they were.

If it were up to him, (Y/n) would never have to encounter anything that would hurt her physically or emotionally, but he didn’t exactly have the whole world in his hands. He couldn’t control anything, no matter how much he wanted to do it for her. But if he were given the chance… he wouldn’t even hesitate to accept it.

And so, in a quiet and somewhat reluctant tone, Levi relayed all that he had learned to his wife. To her credit, she took the information with as much grace and poise as she could muster— which her husband admired her greatly for. She didn’t scream or wail, or cry foul about the information; she took it just like a queen would.

She cried, yes, but even he couldn’t fault her for that. He knew he would feel the same way had it been Farlan or Isabel that had betrayed him.

***

“How is she doing?” Hange asked aloud, not even taking her eyes off the tome in her hands as Levi sat down across from her. It was still weird to see Hange taking over Erwin’s office, but it was the way things were supposed to be— and he couldn’t do anything about it. Erwin Smith was dead. There was no way in hell or high water that he would be coming back to reclaim his damn office. 

The Captain sighed heavily, then pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger to alleviate the pressure he felt in his head. “She’s sleeping now.”

“That’s good. She needs to rest up so she can make it to get her medal of valor.” The scientist offered with a tired smile. “Historia wants to give us medals for finally reclaiming Wall Maria.”

Hange didn’t even have to explain further, Levi already got what his new Commander was implying with her words. “Do you want her to announce herself as the Queen of Marley there?”

The brunette nodded. “The people already know the truth; it would sway more people to support her cause if they know that she has the capability of establishing a peace treaty— when she takes her throne back.”

It didn’t seem like a bad or far-fetched idea, which had Levi weighing the actual merits of exposing his wife’s real identity. He figured that it would also make everyone that much more aware of those who are planning on doing anything to her, which played out in his favor. “There’s one flaw to that plan, Four-Eyes. Revealing (Y/n)’s identity would also make her a target for persecution and ill-aimed judgment. Not to mention the fact that it would brand her and her family as outsiders.”

And it would also make Greta more aware of (Y/n)’s whereabouts, as people would actually be watching her— they would be paying closer attention to her, not only because someone had it in their head to spread the (undoubtedly true) rumor of their marriage, but also because she would be a person of interest with her background.

“You’re right. I didn’t consider that outcome.” A sigh left the woman’s lips, and she closed the journal with a quiet thud. “Maybe it would really be best to keep her identity a secret, until we’ve gotten her to a more ideal position.”

Levi’s eyes widened a fraction of an inch at that statement because, not only did Hange take his wife’s emotional wellbeing into consideration, but she also expressed her plans to **help** get (Y/n) the Marleyan throne. A disbelieving whoosh of breath passed his lips, and he could do nothing else but stare gratefully at the bespectacled woman sitting on the other side of the desk. “Thank you, Hange.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okayyyyy. So that was some of the plot~ Heehee.
> 
> A huge thank you to everyone who left a kudos, or comment, or just plain out liked this story! I'm so grateful to all of you! <3
> 
> And a huuuuge shoutout to Alex (my soulmate) for helping me determine the fate of this chapter. <3


	28. Chapter 28

“For my peace of mind, (Y/n), please agree to it,” Levi pleaded with his wife in a quiet but firm voice. And to further back up his request, he added, “We haven’t sighted the Jäger bastard or anyone else in his group. It’ll be a fairly quick expedition.” 

Of course, the brunette was reluctant to simply agree to her husband’s plea. She wanted to help as much as she could, but having had a taste of what impending death felt like swayed her towards his decision. It wasn’t just the thought of her own death that scared her, but the slim possibility that she could be putting another life in danger. However, her hesitance still stemmed from her need to see to Levi’s wellbeing beyond the walls.

She had no doubt that he was skilled enough to kill all of the straggling titans still roaming the island, but there was still that tiny voice in the back of her mind. It kept parroting the words _‘what if’_ that was tacked of with all the scenarios that she didn’t want befalling Levi.

“I’ll make it back to you, I promise.” The Corporal offered with an earnest look on his face. He even went as far as to place his hands on his wife’s shoulders, before trying to knead the knots out of her muscles. She had been so tense as of late, that she had taken to asking him to massage her back, and—most notably— her legs; which almost always resulted in late nights and lazy mornings in bed.

Unbidden, a small grin lifted the corners of the brunette’s lips, as she leaned her head back and rested it against Levi’s abdomen. Her gaze never faltered as they held his own, and she said, “Is that a _‘Levi Ackerman promise’_?”

Levi had no clue what she was going on about, so his brows furrowed in confusion. “What?”

“I’ve decided to brand your promises, my dearest husband.” (Y/n) explained in a mildly teasing tone as, slowly, a blush colored the Corporal’s cheeks. However, she didn’t elaborate any further as she snaked her hands up Levi’s forearms.

Levi swallowed thickly as his eyes took in (Y/n)’s features. She had always been beautiful to him but, at that moment, it was as if she was glowing. Her skin looked so healthy with a natural flush to it, and her eyes looked as bright as ever with the morning light illuminating them. He could swear that his heart had faltered more than once in the two minutes that they stayed silently gazing at each other.

Unbeknownst to Levi, his promise had mostly allayed the fears that were inside the (L/n) heiress. Since, whenever he promised something to her, he always stayed true to his words. Not once had he let her down after making promise after promise to her, and she was sure that this time would be no different.

“Alright. I’ll stay here, Captain Levi.”

Besides, there was no arguing that Levi always tried to do what was best for her.

“Good.” The man whispered, almost breathless as he took in the enticing way that his wife’s lips moved. They were beckoning him to come closer, and he found himself leaning down to brush his lips against hers. “I love you, (Y/n).”

Yes, (Y/n) knew that Levi had his moments, but his tender words had caught her off guard; so off guard that her eyes widened, before she bit her bottom lip to fight her oncoming grin.

Who could have thought that **the Levi Ackerman** — the person that the entirety of Paradis branded as Humanity’s Strongest Soldier— would have been hers in every way imaginable? She couldn’t quite believe it herself, as it was something out of a fairytale to have married the love of her life.

“I love you too, Levi.”

***  
  


To say that the first day without Levi was **hell** would have been the understatement of the century.

Not only did (Y/n) feel restless— even while she hugged his pillow tightly against her chest— but she also felt sullen for most of the day. During the second night, she had taken to wearing one of his shirts to sleep, but it still wasn’t enough.

It was comforting to have his shirt on, but it barely made a difference to how much she missed him.

On day three, the brunette tried to consume herself with all the work that she had put off when she was bedridden, and when all of that was done, she had taken to cleaning hers and Levi’s quarters. They had yet to move her things into the Corporal’s quarters, but they were hesitant to do it because of all the clutter that it would put in her husband’s room.

At the moment, her room was nothing more than a glorified storage closet; and it didn’t help at all that the whole castle was bathed in silence— as most of the new recruits had gone on the expedition as well.

The deafening silence was giving her too much time to dwell on all the things that had happened; and her thoughts served to make nothing but anger bubble up inside her.

With Levi serving as a buffer of sorts for the past few months, (Y/n) hadn’t exactly had the freedom to dwell on her deeper feelings towards all that had transpired. Now though— with just herself for company— it afforded her the space that she needed. It wasn’t that Levi was forcing her to let things go; no, it was merely because of the fact that she didn’t want her husband to needlessly worry about her.

She knew that none of the events that happened were her fault; but she couldn’t help but shoulder some of the blame. Like with Erwin’s death… 

Her sole reason for being on that expedition was to **prevent** casualties; but all she did was serve as a distraction. Yes, she had quenched some of the thirst for information that the late Commander had, but it simply wasn’t enough of a comeuppance with regards to his death. She should have done her job properly, instead of being the burden that she was.

And along with her toxic mindset came the anger; anger at herself, and also anger towards Greta.

(Y/n) had trusted the fiery-haired woman with her life, and to have had things end up with her being almost killed in the end… it **hurt**. Though, it was her own fault for trusting Greta in the first place. She always liked to believe in the best side of people, which had always been both a good and bad point in her.

Her rose-colored view on peoples’ personalities was always a topic of debate with her family, but she couldn’t help but **want** to believe that most people did have pure intentions with the world— just like her. She wasn’t gullible or naïve; she was simply too kindhearted.

And that kindheartedness of hers was going to get her killed sooner or later.

If she wanted to live long enough to see hers and Levi’s children grow up, she would have to change that way of thinking. It didn’t mean that she had to be cruel, but it simply meant that she had to be more cautious about who she trusted.

As it was, all she was sure of was that the only people she could trust were Levi and her family; as well as the fact that she had to shape up if she wanted to be an efficient asset— and not a liability— to her husband.

***

It wasn’t easy, and it took quite a long time but— finally— all of the titans that were left around the island were disposed of by the Survey Corps. While clearing out the troublesome titans, all of them still kept an eye out for Zeke Jäger, but it was as if he had vanished into thin air. 

Levi had a hunch that the bastard had retreated back to Marley with his lackeys. He had said as much to (Y/n) during a late night where he was finishing up some papers— while she finished her own medical reports of the new recruits— but she had returned his words with a confused stare. And that was when she had lapsed into a thorough explanation about how Paradis was surrounded by the sea, and could only be accessed through a boat— or maybe an aircraft, but she didn’t dwell too much on the latter.

And that information was quite useful, as Levi knew what to expect as his eyes took in the weirdly magnetic view of the blue waters before him. They were almost as captivating as the sight of his wife running into the oncoming wave and splashing the salt water around her.

She truly looked so happy that it made his chest tighten up. He barely restrained the urge to bring his right hand up and rub over the spot where his heart was.

“Don’t stare too much, Shorty. She just might melt,” Hange teased with a loud guffaw. She then slapped the Corporal’s back before joining her fellow brunette in the water.

“ _Tch_.” Levi scoffed, as he tried (and failed) to avert his gaze from (Y/n). And when she laughed, damn, it felt like a punch to the gut with how breathless it made him. It had been a long time since he had heard her laugh that freely, and he almost wanted to stay next to the sea if it made her that happy.

Maybe, if they ever got the chance, they could build a house right next to the sea with the money that he intended for his tea shop.

“Levi!” The (L/n) heiress called happily. She would have waved her husband over to where she was, but her hands were cupped together beneath the water. “Come here, look at what I caught!”

That made the raven-haired man frown in worry. He still wasn’t familiar with whatever lived in the water, so he refused to go in, lest he disturb something that he shouldn’t have. Still, he found himself taking off his boots, and his gear, before rolling up his pants then wading towards his wife.

“Hurry up, Levi! It might get away.” She giggled, all while looking back at the aforementioned man.

If only he’d known what fate he was going to be dealt, he never would have set foot in the damn water in the first place. But he followed (Y/n)’s instructions and peered into the gap between her hands.

And that was when water shot up from the small gap and sprayed him in the face. Luckily, he’d closed his eyes in time. But, he wasn’t fortunate enough to have retained his balance what with the waves rolling constantly, and the soft sand giving way beneath his feet. It was safe to say that he landed in the water— on his butt— with a big splash, which sent (Y/n) laughing hysterically at his misfortune.

One look at Levi and everyone could tell that he was enraged at what his cheeky (Y/n) had done to him, but the thunderous expression on his face fell the moment that she went into the water with him and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Thank you for taking me here, Levi.”

He couldn’t help it, he lifted his arms up from the water and encircled them around (Y/n)’s waist… before laying down to submerge both of them in the water.

“My hair!” (Y/n) screamed indignantly when she and the Captain had resurfaced from their impromptu bath. Her expression held an offended pout, while her eyes bored angry holes into her husband’s face. And, quietly, she muttered, “Now I look like a drowned rat.”

In Levi’s opinion, she hardly looked like a drowned rat— but he couldn’t voice out that opinion as she had taken his hair into her right fist.

“You’re going to pay for that, Ackerman.”

He quirked an eyebrow down at the furious woman, just as a smirk lifted the corners of his lips. “Are you talking to yourself or me?”

“Captain!” The scouts’ collective shouts rang clear over the crashing of the waves against the shore, before it was punctuated by the sound of a signal flare being fired.

During the midst of the married couple’s flirtations, the scouts and Hange had spotted an abnormal vessel docked quite a few ways away from them; which was why the Commander had fired a purple signal flare.

Instantly, Levi and (Y/n) snapped to attention. They didn’t even have time to fix themselves or strap their gear on as they raced towards where the flare had originated.

Both of them were breathless when they reached the others, but the breath seemed to have caught in the (L/n) heiress’ throat as her eyes landed on the familiar sailboat before her. The main and jib sails were down, but it was obvious that they had quite the number of bullet holes in them. Even the wooden hull wasn’t spared from bullet holes— which were covered with an obviously haphazard job of plaster and duct tape.

“Halt! State your name and business!” A cocking of a gun echoed in everyone’s ears, which made everyone move to retrieve their swords— only to realize that their gear was left back where they were earlier.

However, (Y/n) was the only one who didn’t seem alarmed. As she would recognize that voice anywhere; no matter how long she hadn’t heard the deep and velvety timbre. Lo and behold, the exact copy of Alexei rose from the boat’s cabin with a gun in his hand. He pointed the end of the gun at everyone, even at the calm brunette.

Immediately, everyone drew a step back— except (Y/n) who put a hand on her hip and quirked her eyebrow in mild amusement. “Really, Kristof? This is how you greet me? First it was Alexei who greeted me with a Titan, now you greet me with a gun? It’s fucking nice to see you too.”

“(Y/n),” Levi scolded his wife quietly, but moved forward to shield her body from gunpoint.

“Don’t point your damn gun at my husband, you dickless worm.” The (L/n) heiress snapped.

Identical blue eyes to (Y/n)’s zeroed in on her after her bold slur of insults, before the frazzled Kristof lowered his gun to his side. “(Y/n)? As in my **sister**?”

“Of course. Do you want proof?” The brunette challenged with a defiant expression. “You have a birthmark in the shape of Paradis on your left shoulder, and you used to wonder if that meant that you were destined to be an Eldian when we were younger. Oh, and you cry whenever you hear _Dies Irae_ being sung, which was why we stopped attending operas. Good enough?”

The older (L/n) looked mildly impressed, but he still held the gun safe against his side as he alighted the boat and waded towards the woman claiming to be his sister. “Not quite, wench. My sister wouldn’t get married that easily.”

Levi was about ready to throw a punch when Alexei’s doppelganger insulted his wife,but (Y/n) saw what he was about to do and placed a comforting hand on his arm. Her eyes narrowed into irate slits as she took her brother’s appearance in: hair mussed up, the beginning signs of a beard on his face, a few tears in his pants and shirt, and a tired look in his eyes that worried her greatly.

To sum it up, he looked like a right mess; so different to what he usually looked like back in Marley. And with her brother being the vain man that he was, it only meant that something really bad must have happened to let his appearance slip by that much.

“Call me a wench again and I will gut you in your sleep, Kristof Alexander.” In her opinion, it was unfair that she was the only one who didn’t get two names like her brothers but— at the same time— she was grateful for that fate. Not only because it made it easier for her to write her name as a child, but because she didn’t end up getting a dumb name like her brothers: Kristof Alexander, and Alexei Kristoffer.

“And yes, I **did** get married. Before you and Alexei, even, you boorish turd.”

At the sound of his full name being used, Kristof’s tense shoulders relaxed and he clicked on the lock on the trigger of the gun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies if it took longer than expected. I've just been busy with life in general. <3
> 
> But thank you so much for all the kudos and comments. I truly appreciate them!!!! Tho, I will reply to them maybe tomorrow??? Or the next time I upload a chapter??? Things are just starting to pick up as of late, so yeah. 
> 
> Once again, a huge shoutout to Alex for helping me with this chapter. I've been so lost as of late. I think I need to shape up too. <3 :D
> 
> But comments and suggestions are really appreciated.


	29. Chapter 29

No matter how much (Y/n) tried to quell the rage that was bubbling inside her, she simply… couldn’t. The longer that she stared at the stab wound at her brother’s side, the more that her anger flared up. At the rate that it was rising, it was almost safe to say that no one would live to see the brunette’s wrath at its peak. 

“Stop staring at it, _stellina_ ,” the older (L/n) chided his sister softly, before reaching out and gently flicking the small woman’s forehead. “It will only make you sadder.”

“I’m more angry than sad, Kristof.” The childhood nickname wasn’t lost on the younger one of the siblings, which made her snort as she literally slapped a square of gauze against the athletically-built man’s side. The aforementioned man winced, but said nothing. “You’re lucky to still even be alive, after they almost drained all your blood.”

“Well, they’re **your** aficionados, so you should understand them better than most,” Kristof answered with a quiet chuckle, even as his sister shot him such a withering glare that it would have made a lesser man curl up in fear.

(Y/n) clicked her tongue in an unamused fashion, before fastening the gauze with tape. “That’s not even funny.”

After that, the siblings lapsed into a comfortable silence, which was only broken by Kristof clearing his throat.

“And what of fa-” The brunette began, only to be cut off by her brother.

“So… you got married, huh?” 

The younger (L/n) inspected her handiwork at a leisurely pace, before turning her full attention to her brother’s face. “Why? You have something against my husband?”

A thick, but well-sculpted brow rose up, before the deep timbre of a hearty laugh filled the empty infirmary. Kristof shook his head, then put a hand up to ruffle his sister’s hair. “It sounds so weird to hear you say that; but no, I have nothing against the short man from earlier. Damn, you two are going to have some short kids.” 

“If you want to live to see tomorrow, don’t ever let Levi hear you say that.” (Y/n) rolled her eyes. “He isn’t a Corporal for nothing.”

“Shorty’s a **Corporal**?” The (L/n) heiress didn’t exactly know how to react to that; on one hand she wanted to smack her brother’s side for insulting Levi so blatantly but— on the other hand— she wanted to hold her head higher at the blatant awe that she heard in Kristof’s voice.

Just as (Y/n) was about to give in and gloat a bit more about her husband, three firm knocks sounded on the infirmary doors before they swung open. 

“Speak of the devil,” Kristof commented with a wry chuckle, before being stunned silent when the raven-haired man— who was now his brother-in-law— strode into the room with a scowl on his face, only to lose the sour expression when he pressed a kiss to the top of (Y/n)’s head.

“How was training?” (Y/n) asked softly, just as a warm smile lit up her features.

Levi scoffed at his wife, before nodding his head curtly at the other (L/n) in the room with them. “Those brats are acting like little shits.”

“So, good then?”

Kristof had never been in the habit of getting irritated when a couple was unknowingly leaving him out of their loop, but he felt just **that** as he kept watching the exchange between his sister and her husband. He knew that he shouldn’t have felt protective, and a tad jealous at how the raven-haired man was monopolizing (Y/n)’s attention, but he did feel those things. It was as if it was inevitable.

In his defense, though, this Levi person had already had six years with his sister; he could have— **at the very least** — left them more time to catch up with each other. They hadn’t seen each other in those six years, so he wanted to spend as much time with her as was possible. 

No, he didn’t have a sister complex. He just missed his sister a lot. If he was asked, he would admit that he missed his twin as well; even if said twin would hold that over his head for the rest of eternity. 

“I’ll just finish bandaging Kristof up, then we can talk to Hange.” The sole woman in the room announced with a slight inflection to her tone; as if the mere presence of her husband was enough to make her giddy like a schoolgirl. 

Unbeknownst to (Y/n) though, the men with her were locked in a glaring contest, just as they simultaneously answered, “Alright.”

***

“It’s alright, Kristof. I trust Hange; you can tell her.” And (Y/n) meant the words. Compared to divulging her family’s secrets to Erwin, how she felt about telling Hange of it differed exponentially. In a sense, her heart felt lighter as she regarded the Survey Corps’ new Commander.

She had a feeling that she could trust the other woman with such a pivotal secret, not only because Levi trusted her enough to include her in the small circle of the people who possessed that knowledge, but because she had gotten to know Hange. And there wasn’t a single feeling that told her that the woman would exploit her blood’s capabilities, unlike how she felt with Erwin.

Then again, she wasn’t the soundest judge of character… because of what had happened with Greta.

But she did trust Levi, and she trusted his decisions. So she had agreed to this meeting.

Kristof seemed a bit hesitant as he narrowed his eyes at the bespectacled woman sitting adjacent from him, but he nodded as a heavy sigh left his lips. “There’s no sense in even keeping it a secret. Your damn cult practically raised that information from the dead, and paraded it around in front the fucking Tyburs.” 

“And the Tyburs are?” Hange asked, her voice level but her tone mildly curious. “Are they the reason that you were wounded?” 

“No. They would have killed me as soon as they had the chance. They **are** , however, the reason for all the bullet holes on the boat. Alexei is going to skin me alive when he sees the number they did to it.” The brunet shook his head in mild annoyance, before recomposing himself by sitting up straighter and squaring his shoulders. “The Tyburs are the ones who usurped the throne from the von Kleissers. They’re very well-respected in Marley, and I used to have the head of their family— Willy Tybur— as a frequent client. Currently, they possess one of the Nine Titans.” 

Silence remained in the room as everyone waited for the older (L/n) to continue but— before he spoke— he passed a scathing glance at his sister’s entwined hand with Levi’s. He was happy that she had already found someone to take care of her for the rest of her life, but did it really have to happen so soon?

He felt like he had just gotten her back, and now he was already losing her. No, he had **already** lost her to her husband; at least it felt that way to him.

“As for the reason why I’ve been wounded… that honor would have to be directed towards (Y/n)’s cult of fanatics. They’re smart, and nothing if not resilient. They’d tried a few times before to kidnap either Alexei or I, but those attempts failed because we always had Ludwig and a few other Titan shifters with us.”

“And these Titan shifters… where did they come from?” Hange asked with narrowed eyes. She had almost— **almost** — asked Moblit to take notes, but she had caught herself before the request had slipped from her tongue.

“They were Eldians who were used as test subjects for Titan Science. Alexei and I found a small group of them just outside of my family’s property in the countryside, which was why we decided to take them in… with the promise of helping them as soon as we understood how to use our blood as their cure.” 

(Y/n)’s eyes widened at her brother’s revelation, and with the feeling of genuine surprise also came the dizzying feeling of disheartenment. All this time she had thought that her brothers would be able to answer her questions, but it appeared that they were as clueless as she was about their bloodline’s Titan-nullifying properties. 

“W-what do you know about it?” The younger (L/n) asked in a small and hesitant voice, which made her husband grip her hand tighter in his own. She had sounded so scared and unsure of herself at that moment that it made Levi’s heart sink.

To everyone’s disappointment, Kristof regrettably shook his head. “Nothing. Not even mother knows how to use it. We’ve tried to search all the archives, even the ones in the Tyburs’ mansion, but it appears that they were either burned the night they stormed the palace, or they have it hidden somewhere. Knowing them, it would be the former instead of the latter.”

The urge to scream and wail while thrashing Hange’s office weighed heavily on (Y/n)’s mind, but she tamped the urge down as best as she could. She also wanted to cry and tell her brother that it felt like they had given her false hope by telling her about something they—apparently— didn’t know how to use, but she restrained that urge as well. Not only would it distress Levi greatly to see her so disheartened, but it would also dishearten him as well.

She had to stay strong; not just for herself, but for him too. 

“What about father? He might know something about it. He has a lot of connections… we can-” (Y/n) knew that her voice was starting to waver as tears pooled in her eyes; hell, she was already feeling frantic as the heaviness of hopelessness weighed down on her. She could perform her own experiments, but who knew how long it would take to decipher things? It could be **years** before they even scratched the surface.

They didn’t have that long; not when the entire world wanted to set Paradis on fire. 

Kristof was silent— too silent— as he swallowed past the lump in his throat. He had tried to avoid the subject altogether, but he couldn’t do that now. No matter how much he tried to collect his thoughts in order to form a coherent sentence, he simply **couldn’t**. 

From across him, sitting towards the Commander’s left side, Levi gritted his teeth as he had caught on to his brother-in-law’s hesitation. The (L/n) didn’t even need to spell it out for him; he already knew that it couldn’t have been good news. So, slowly, he met the other man’s frantic gaze before hissing out, “Spit it out. Tell her the **truth** , or I will break every bone in your fucking body.”

Wide-eyed, (Y/n) looked from her brother to her husband, and she was about to admonish Levi for threatening Kristof, only to be cut off.

“I… I’m sorry, _Stellina_ , but father’s been missing for two months now.”

Unbidden, the tears abruptly streamed down the younger (L/n)’s face. She didn’t even try to wipe them away as she stared numbly at her anguished brother; though she felt Levi’s arm go around her shoulder and slowly pull her against his side.

“No.” The weak denial sounded sorrowful, even to Hange’s ears. Yet (Y/n) kept repeating the words through her pained sobs. “No, no, no… he’s not dead, Levi. Please tell me you’ll find him. Please.”

It was inopportune, but that was the moment that Kristof realized just how much Levi meant to his sister. And suddenly, he understood why she loved the man as much as she did when he answered her.

“I promise, (Y/n), I’ll find him.” Levi didn’t say anything more or make any flowery promises, but it was evident in his tone that he would stop at nothing to bring his wife the peace that she asked of him. Hell, it appeared to Kristof that his brother-in-law was prepared to give (Y/n) the world if she asked for it.

He would never admit it, but his respect for the man grew after that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone!! Thank you for the support. <3
> 
> Comments and suggestions are always welcome (and are very much loved). <3


	30. Chapter 30

Emotionally, mentally, and physically (Y/n) was **tired**. 

Her days and nights were filled with nothing but thoughts of how to get the ramshackle pieces of her life in any decipherable order. But no, mere thoughts and fictitious plans weren’t enough of an effort to get the (L/n) heiress where she wanted to be. She knew that fact, yet there was still no stopping her brain from going through the darkness that lingered on the outskirts of her mind.

(Y/n) felt like that her world was spinning out of control, but Levi was always there to anchor her safely to the ground. He could always tell when his wife was slipping away from him, and he would bring her back with subtle touches; from a reassuring squeeze to her hand, a comforting palm pressed against the small of her back, or the occasional kiss against her temple.

It hurt Levi to see (Y/n) practically deteriorating into a more subdued version of herself right infront of his eyes, but he could only do so much for her. He understood the pain that she was going through— having lost a parent himself— but she needed to understand that nothing was said and done until they found her father.

They could still win this war, with or without the Titan cure running through her veins. He wouldn’t force her into dedicating herself to discovering how her blood worked on Titans, but if she wanted to… then he would support her. 

His point was that his wife just needed to know that there wasn’t just one straight path to their victory. Sure, it wouldn’t be easy, but he would do everything in his power to give her the world. He was doing it not just for her, or all Eldians, but for his and (Y/n)’s future children.

Though, he would be more efficient if his eyes didn’t feel so hot and his brain didn’t pound so annoyingly in his skull.

“Are you alright, Levi?” (Y/n)’s worry-laced voice echoed softly from across his table. She set the small stack of papers in her hands next to another— taller— stack, before rounding the table and pressing her hand gently against her husband’s forehead.

“You have a fever.” Her worried tone hardened as she slipped seamlessly into her professional role, while her hands made quick work of untying the raven-haired man’s cravat. “It’s time to rest. You need it.” 

“ _Tch_.” The Corporal scoffed, but hesitated signing his name onto another letter requesting supplies. Before he could touch the nib of the pen to the parchment, the pen was unceremoniously yanked from his grip, which caused him to look up and glare daggers at the culprit. Wife or not, what she had done was really annoying. “I need to finish these, (Y/n).”

For the first time in weeks, the darkness in the brunette’s blue eyes lightened as a determined flame took its place. Levi almost— **almost** — cracked a relieved smile at the fire that was starting to burn within his wife; even if that fire was aimed directly at him. 

“I’ll finish them.” She answered with finality ringing in her tone. 

In response, Levi merely quirked an eyebrow before stating the obvious, “That would be forgery, du-” The insult almost slipped from his lips, but it was nipped at the bud at (Y/n)’s fearsome glare. She looked absolutely terrifying with that livid expression on her face, but goddamn Levi would be lying if he didn’t say that it turned him on.

The only person who could out-glare him was his wife. And that was a fact that he was willing to live with.

“Did you forget that my brothers are **barristers**? There **is** such a thing as assigning a representative to sign on your behalf.” (Y/n)’s words had become biting, but it didn’t offend Levi in the least. In fact, it amused him that he was seeing this snarky side to her once more. 

The last time that she had been mouthy with him had been **years** ago, after he’d gone to see her as soon as he got back from an expedition. She had been so mad at him for exerting himself, but all he really wanted was to see her then; that still didn’t change now. 

She was the first person that he wanted to see when he got back from expeditions, and that fact would never change. Maybe when they had children, then he would want to see her **with** them, but that was still a few years away. Not taking into consideration the fact that there would be no need for anymore expeditions after they were done with Marley’s resident crazies. 

“How could I forget when I just **know** that they’re always thinking of ways to get my ass in jail when they look at me?” True, the scrutinizing glares from Alexei had ceased after their wedding, and the glares from Kristof had stopped merely a week ago; but he was sure that once those two saw each other next week, they would simultaneously keep thinking up ways to get Levi away from their sister.

There was just something about having someone to back you up, even though what you were going to do was really dumb and irrational. ‘ _Dumbasses tend to stick together’_ , and all that; though he would never say that aloud to (Y/n). 

“They **do not**. You’re delirious,” the brunette answered with a roll of her eyes, before grabbing Levi’s arm and pulling him out of his seat. Wordlessly, the Captain gave in with a heavy sigh. “I’ll have Kristof draft up an agreement appointing me as your representative. So just rest; I’ll handle everything.” 

“I don’t want you stressing yourself out even more,” Levi snapped in an irate tone. He then looked back at the brunette who was frozen in place— with her hands holding his right arm tightly. Even though he was frustrated as hell, his guilt still ate at him so he added in a softer tone, “I’m only worried about you, (Y/n). You already have a lot of shit to worry about.”

Levi’s words were meant to be anything but a slap to her face, but it felt just like that for (Y/n). It served as a wake-up call of sorts to get her head out of her ass. But she didn’t dwell on that now.

For now, she had to get her husband in bed so he could sweat his fever out. “Please, Levi? I don’t want you to get even more sick. I’ll be fine.”

One look at those blue eyes of hers and Levi knew that the battle was lost. So, with a sigh, he nodded his head then proceeded to let his wife drag him off to their bed.

“I won’t sign the official papers, I promise. Just the small things like requests for items and requests for leave.” (Y/n) offered with a small smile.

A sigh left the Corporal’s lips once more, but he found himself nodding. “If what they’re asking for sounds stupid and unreasonable, reject the request. And if they’re asking for this weekend off, reject those requests as well. Those new brats are just trying to get out of cleaning duty.”

***

Once Levi’s soft snores filled their bedroom, (Y/n) replaced the cool towel on his forehead with a fresh one, before striding out into his adjoining office. Her lips quirked up at the corners in a sad rendition of a smile, as she cast a glance at her slumbering husband. He must have been so tired for him to be snoring, since he was usually a quiet sleeper.

The fact that he was also tired, for sure even more tired than her, hadn’t even crossed her mind at all. She had been so consumed in her own thoughts that she forgot that she had someone else— someone whom she had promised to love and cherish through sickness and health— to take care of now. She couldn’t sink into the dark recesses of her mind, because it wasn’t just her and her family that she had to worry about.

In keeping all of her worst-case-scenarios and fears to herself, she had effectively burdened Levi even more; which was the last thing that she wanted.

Then again, she couldn’t exactly tell him all of the things that were running through her head. She wanted to confide in him, but that meant giving him some of the doubts that she had. In doing so, she would become something of a toxic personality for him. She didn’t want that either, which was why she had kept quiet and shouldered her own mental and emotional problems. 

But now it was clear that her plan had backfired. There she was thinking that staying quiet would lessen Levi’s worries, but she had only added to that. For him to admit it to her really was a feat.  
  
_‘Had it really worried him that much?’_ she asked herself, only to sigh when she answered her own question. 

Yes, it must have worried him enough to finally voice it out to her.

How could she have been so insensitive? 

Her thoughts were starting to pull her deeper into well-treaded territory, so she shook herself from her stupor and made her way over to Levi’s desk. One look at the mountain of paperwork in front of her had her bracing herself for quite some time finishing them.

And if she wanted to even make a dent through all of those, she had to start now. She could just ask Kristof to draft up the agreement later during dinner.

With that, she grabbed the first sheet at the very top of one of the stacks to her right; only to quirk an eyebrow at a new recruit’s request of leave for this weekend. “Sorry, husband’s orders.”

She re-read through the letter once more, before affixing her signature along with the characters ‘p.p.’ beside her name. From a young age, her brothers had taught her most of the things that she needed to know as a fully functional adult— with regards to laws and such— which was why she had a better understanding than most of how the law worked.

Now that she thought about it, it was probable that her brothers teaching her all of that knowledge was part of their plan all along. She would have to ask them when Alexei and their mother arrived in a few days. They would have come sooner, but both of them had been busy with running the new mines that had those glowing ores used as light sources.

If anything, her mother was truly a force to be reckoned with. Not only did she have the business acumen or a multinational business mogul, but she had the tenacity of a hustler. Though, (Y/n) admired her for those characteristics, she also disliked them about her mother.

Case in point, her son— whom she had not seen for six years— had almost died before getting to Paradis, but she put off seeing him because she had to run a mining business.

But she was getting way too sidetracked, so she set aside the signed paper and got a new one. It had the same request, but from a different cadet, which made (Y/n) roll her eyes. She knew her husband could be anal-retentive when it came to cleaning, but he couldn’t have been **that** bad for them to want to skip out on cleaning with him.

And so, she put the word ‘rejected’ in the remarks section reserved for replies, before affixing her signature at the bottom of the page. She never thought that seeing drying ink would be enough to make her smile, but it did, because it was her new name that it showed.

> _(Y/n) Ackerman._

***

“How do you do that all day?” (Y/n) asked a sleeping Levi softly. A tired frown tugged at her lips, but that was the most outward sign of her distaste for her previous task. 

Gently, she took the damp towel from his forehead and dropped it in the basin that she had filled with fresh water. Then, she slicked his damp hair back, which caused a catty smile to light up her features.

Levi looked so damn attractive with his hair like that. Then again, he **always** looked attractive to her.

“What’re you smiling about?” The Corporal’s gruff and sleep-laced voice surprised the brunette, which made her pull her hand back from his hair. When she managed to calm her racing heart, a giggle slipped past her lips, before she leaned down to press a kiss against her husband’s cheek.

“Nothing of importance, my love.” She whispered. “How are you feeling?”

“Like shit.” 

“And here I was trying to set the mood.” The (L/n) heiress snorted as she rolled her eyes. Once more, she sat upright and let her gaze linger on her patient’s handsome face. The flush to his cheeks were gone, which was a good thing.

“I’m too tired to have sex, (Y/n).” Levi admitted regrettably, but narrowed his eyes at his wife when she chuckled.

“You think sex is all I want from you? I find that highly offensive, Levi,” the brunette faked a pout as she clutched her chest in mock offense. “I merely wanted cuddles.”

Levi rolled his eyes at that, before grumbling, “Those do sound nice.” He then pulled back the covers on (Y/n)’s side of the bed, and patted the empty space. “Get in here… please.”

A sly grin lit up the (L/n) heiress’ face then, and she even went against her preference of washing up before getting in bed, in favor of wrapping her arms tight around her husband and cuddling up against his unnaturally warm body.

Both of them were silent for a while, until (Y/n) spoke, “I’m sorry for worrying you, Levi.” 

The Corporal tensed beneath her, yet remained silent as he waited for her explanation.

“I didn’t want to burden you with more problems, so I stayed quiet. But now I know that it only made you worry even more. You already had so much things to do with the new recruits and all the planning…”

“I’m your husband, (Y/n). It’s my job to take care of you; you will **always** come first. I need you to remember that.”

Wordlessly, the brunette nodded as she felt Levi’s arm tighten around her.

“And we **will** win this war, with or without the cure. I’ll kill all those damn Titans if I have to.” 

(Y/n)’s mind was still completely unsure, but the moment seemed better than any other to open up one of her dilemmas to him. “That’s the thing, Levi… I… well, I want to start doing research on it.”

Levi turned his head to look at his wife, only to offer her the faintest of smirks. “Okay.” 

“Just okay? You’re not going to get all overprotective?” It stumped the brunette, but she had no qualms with her husband’s answer.

“I know you. You’re still going to do it whether I like it or not,” the raven-haired man answered drolly, then added, “So it’s better if I give in now and let you decide what you want to do.” 

Unbidden, a giggle left (Y/n)’s lips after she pressed a kiss to Levi’s cheek. “See. You’re also learning how to be my husband.”

“ _Tch_.” 

“I love you, Levi.” The (L/n) heiress sing-songed to the man beside her, to which he responded by rolling his eyes and grumbling his answer out. 

“I love you, too. Damn woman.”


	31. Chapter 31

“They’re here,” (Y/n) announced under her breath in a droll tone. Her eyes never left the carriage that pulled up in front of the Survey Corps headquarters; not because it was so at odds with the shabby buildings surrounding it, but for the reason that she had been anticipating its arrival since six in the morning.

It had cut into her time researching all that she could about titans; and all that time waiting could have been spent getting a better understanding of those creatures.

From beside his sister, Kristof stepped forward and beat Ludwig to the punch. He opened the carriage door, and was not disappointed with the greeting that he received. Yuliana (L/n) practically launched herself at her son, wrapping her arms tightly around him before pulling back to give him a once-over.

“You’ve gotten thinner, Kristof.” The (L/n) matriarch commented idly, which her son answered by quirking an eyebrow.

“Almost getting killed by your sister’s cult following will do that to a person, mother.”

“Ah, that’s understandable,” Was the older woman’s reply.

Unbidden, a snort came from (Y/n)’s person, which garnered the attention of their new guests. Alexei— in the ugliest burgundy shirt that she had ever seen— alighted the carriage and made a face at (Y/n); all before grabbing his twin from their mother’s clutches and pressing a wet smack to his cheek.

“You’re alive, you dickless bastard!” Alexei cried happily, which made their mother close her eyes to reign in her shame.

How she had ended up with such children, she would never know.

“It’s **nice** to see you, too, Alexei.” Kristof grumbled out as he pushed his brother away from him, before wiping his cheek— that still had traces of his twin’s saliva— with his right hand. “Now, please, get the fuck off of me.”

The scene unfolding in front of her didn’t fail to bring a smile to (Y/n)’s lips; the only problem that she saw with it was the frown that was on her mother’s face. It seemed that she wasn’t entirely present with them at the moment, and that irritated the youngest (L/n) more than words could say.

She understood that their mother could have been thinking about their father’s safety, but she would have sooner believed that reason had it not been for the fact that she always acted like this whenever emotional moments happened. The sole exception to this usual habit was her wedding day, and that confused the hell out of (Y/n).

“You alright?” Levi asked under his breath, as he cast a covert sideways glance at his wife. For the past minute and a half, she had changed from a smile to a poker-faced expression, and that worried him greatly.

“I’m fine. Just… I’ll tell you later.” (Y/n) admitted with a sigh. “For now, let’s welcome your in-laws, shall we?”

Her answer put Levi on edge, but he knew that it was better than having (Y/n) keeping everything to herself. “Okay.”

***

“Commander Hange couldn’t be here because she had a meeting to attend to.” (Y/n) announced curtly before picking up her cup of tea and taking a sip. She wanted to gag at the burnt taste that hit her tongue, but held it so as not to get Sasha in any more trouble than she already was in with Levi. 

Thankfully, her mother and brothers didn’t comment on the horrid-tasting beverage, but instead merely kept on sipping at it as if it tasted normal. Though, it was evident by the way that her husband’s eyes narrowed angrily that his squad member was going to get quite the reprimand later.

“Yes, she sends her regards. But she will be joining us later on,” the Corporal added flatly. His eyes never left his wife’s left hand that rested on her lap, as it had been clenched tightly into a fist ever since her mother had picked up her teacup.

“Oh, that’s good, then.” Yuliana smiled halfheartedly at Levi, but (Y/n) rolled her eyes at the action.

“Will you fucking pay attention to **us** , mother?” The youngest (L/n) snapped irately. She set down her teacup on the saucer that it had come in, before turning her entire body towards her mother. With Yuliana sitting at the head of the small coffee table, it took some effort to do so on (Y/n)’s end.

“I **am** paying attention, dear.” Yuliana answered coolly, even though her sons’ expressions showed disgruntlement. They weren’t surprised at their sister’s outburst— as it had always been a common occurrence in their household— but they were miffed that she had even brought it up in the first place.

And, as if to add insult to injury, the (L/n) matriarch took another dainty sip from her teacup before setting it down on the table. The porcelain made a slight clinking sound that barely registered in (Y/n)’s mind, as it was currently consumed by anger.

“ **No**. You clearly **aren’t**! And would it kill you to show a bit more emotion? Fuck, it’s like we’re all emotionally constipated because of you.” Yes, Yuliana had her rare moments of showing more than mild interest, but she had never been one to openly wear her heart on her sleeve; a fact that her children were—unfortunately— very familiar with. “Do you even care about us?” 

While growing up, the (L/n) siblings had never been openly doted on by their mother. She had also never been hands-on with them; instead preferring to leave their care to an armada of private tutors and countless _au pairs_. Early on, Alexei and Kristof had learned to live with the fact that their mother would never be like all their friends’ mothers; but such wasn’t the case for (Y/n).

She had done everything possible to gain her mother’s affections; from trying out her extra-curricular suggestions before completely dismissing them, to always doing what her mother said. (Y/n) had clung on to the little snippets of affection that Yuliana would sprinkle every once in a while, but she still craved more; until one day, she had just given up.

Maybe it was the fact that the youngest (L/n) had realized that trying to win her mother’s affections was a lost cause, or maybe it was because Yuliana only became more critical towards her, but the twins had seen a drastic change in their sister when she hit her early teens. (Y/n) had started talking back to their mother, and she had also taken to acting gruffer and more unrestrained within the confines of their home.

(Y/n) had never told anyone the reason why it had turned out the way it did with her mother, but it was all because she had gotten fed up with the constant thinly veiled insults that Yuliana directed at her. From the way that she dressed, to the way that she talked, down to the now-faded scars on her hands that she got because of her skin allergies— Yuliana always nitpicked at them and so much more.

It was the reason why she could never comfortably lie down in bed without showering first, and also why she constantly felt the need to wash her hands and feet; because her mother had ingrained it into her system that her scars were because she wasn’t clean enough.

That her external appearance mattered more than she thought, because of what people would say when they saw her.

Through the years, the forced actions had turned into sort of tick for her; an uncontrollable quirk that doubled as a flaw.

She wanted to tell Levi and her brothers why there was animosity between her and Yuliana, but she didn’t want their opinion of her to lessen. She didn’t want them to hate her because, even if she turned the world inside out and upside down, Yuliana was still her mother and only wanted the best for her.

Even if she had a shitty and emotionally-scarring way of sending the message across.

“(Y/n),” Levi reached out and placed a hand on top of his wife’s right one, before slipping his fingers through the tight seams of her fist. He wouldn’t have done such a thing, had he not been afraid that she would hurt herself with how hard her nails were digging into her palm.

The Corporal didn’t know what felt worse, to have his wife staving off her anger by digging her nails into her palms, or to slowly feel the fight leaving her as her hand unclenched beneath his fingers. He wanted to take her in his arms and get her out of that room, but he also knew that whatever she felt was something that needed to be said.

It had been a long time coming, and to put it off would just ruin whatever progress that the mother-daughter pair had made in mending their relationship.

(Y/n) couldn’t even lift her gaze from her lap— where her hands rested limply— as she focused on the sight of her husband’s hand softly squeezing her right one, as a way of comforting her. She gritted her teeth to hold back the tears that she knew were coming, only to realize that she was already crying as more tears made small, dark spots on her skirt.

From where they sat, the twins could only stay mute as they regrettably admitted that what their sister said was true. They loved their mother, they truly did, but only because of the small role that she had in their lives; it wasn’t out of some unconditional feeling like they had for (Y/n).

They loved her, because she had given them life, but that was the extent of it.

Yuliana had never actively reached out to her children to bridge the ever-growing gap between them, and it wasn’t for lack of love for them. She loved Alexei, Kristof, and (Y/n) to bits, but she knew that it was necessary for them to not rely on her, because she knew that— when the time came— she would have to leave them, for their own sake.

She didn’t want her children to pine for her or mourn her loss. All she was doing was preparing them for the inevitable, even if it hurt her to constantly feel the wide gap between her and them. It was never her intention to hurt their feelings, or to neglect them, but it had to be done.

“Of course I care. You three are my children,” Yuliana answered in an even tone. She looked every bit of the reserved woman that (Y/n) had grown familiar with, but deep down she was anything but controlled. Her heart was aching at the sight of her sons stewing in quiet acceptance, while her daughter was having— what could best be described as— an emotional breakdown.

(Y/n) wanted to **scream**. She wanted to get up and smash all the porcelain tableware against the walls, but she held herself back. Not only would it solve nothing, it would also cause more work for her… because there was no Brigitte or Greta clean up her mess.

Greta…

The thought of the very woman brought more tears to the (L/n) heiress’ eyes, and she had taken to biting down on her bottom lip to subdue the sobs that were threatening to escape her mouth. But that was all for naught as the pain in her chest became too much, which caused her to take in a small gasp of breath— only for it to be followed by the most heart-wrenching sobs that Levi had ever heard.

Slowly, after mustering up all of the courage that she had, (Y/n) looked up to turn her gaze towards her mother. “If you do, then why don’t I feel it? I’m so an-” The younger brunette’s voice broke, but she paid no mind to it as she spewed out the words that have been stewing inside her for such a long time. “Angry. I’m so angry, mother. Sometimes I think I **hate** you, but I know that I can’t. I **want** to hate you, but I don’t want to hurt you like you did me.”

Silence reigned within the room as (Y/n)’s words sank in for everyone. And, slowly, the impassive expression on Yuliana’s face faltered for the first time in months; ever since her daughter’s wedding. The matriarch tried to get a grip on her emotions and forced the unperturbed expression to remain on her face, but it was evident by the sheer glossiness of her eyes that she was close to tears.

“Do you know how jealous I was of my friends? To see them being doted on by their mothers…” A choked sob escaped (Y/n)’s lips, but she still pushed through her own myriad of feelings to finally tell her mother how she’d felt all these years. “I just want to know why I never got that. Why all three of us never had that closeness with you. Are we not enough?”

“You are, (Y/n). You all are.” Yuliana cried, just as her tears marred her cheeks. “All that I’ve done up to this moment… it was for all of you. Because I wasn’t sure then when **they** would come for me, and I didn’t want you to live in constant fear and sadness because of my passing. I thought… that it would hurt you less if you didn’t rely on me for anything.”

Levi wanted to speak out and tell her that it didn’t work that way, as he had realized himself, but his thoughts were put to a halt when his mother-in-law continued, “It hurt me, too, (Y/n). I regret so many things that I’ve said and done to hurt you… but I only wanted to protect all of you. I’m sorry, (Y/n)… Alexei… Kristof. I’m so sorry.”

At her mother’s apology, more tears rolled down (Y/n)’s cheeks. She didn’t even try to wipe them away, as she knew that it would be fighting a losing battle. And gingerly, she turned her right hand face up to give her husband’s hand a squeeze… before she got up and walked towards Yuliana.

Had (Y/n) not gone through the things she had, never in her wildest dreams would she have thought that she would feel forgiveness towards her mother. It didn’t justify the pain that she had put her and her brothers through, but (Y/n) understood enough to accept that her mother was merely human; a woman who thought that she was doing the right thing for her children. She could have done so many things in drastically different ways, but there was no going back and changing it now. There was only genuine regret and asking for forgiveness for all the mistakes that she had done.

Hell, (Y/n) had her own flaws and shortcomings that she could have worked on herself. All of that was evidence that she wasn’t some perfect being that could do no wrong; she knew and accepted that, just like Levi accepted her for who she was. That self-acceptance meant that she could still find it in her battered heart to try and mend her relationship with her mother. Because they were only human, and humans made mistakes.

Hesitantly, she leaned down at about her mother’s sitting height. And, for the first time in her life, the (L/n) heiress wrapped her arms around her mother. “I forgive you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone!!! Thank you for the support! I guess I got a bit carried away with this chapter. Hecks, I was crying while writing it myself. I'm kind of proud of the Reader for evolving into this brand new person; whereas before she would have lashed out and walked out (like in the first chapter) but now... oof. My feels.
> 
> And thank you to Alex for being my sounding board on this. Also, shoutouts to **Chae** (Hey, Alex!!!!), and **Kat26** for the comments. <3
> 
> As always, comments and suggestions are greatly welcomed. <3


	32. Chapter 32

The sight in front of (Y/n) made her want to cry.

Pieces upon pieces of clothes overflowed from her hamper inside hers and her husband’s bathroom. To think that Levi hadn’t thrown a fit about the mess was already a feat in itself; then again, he had been too busy for the past few days to even pay attention to more than official business.

While she, well… she had been living such a lax lifestyle, what with her mother and brothers spending the week at the Survey Corps’ Headquarters in Trost. Most of her days had been spent taking care of the stragglers that would wander into the infirmary, all while conversing with one or both of her brothers.

Her mother, however, had been busy with her own business meetings with some merchants within the city. So it made it difficult for the mother-daughter pair to actually spend time together. Hell, the meager interactions they did have were awkward at best; but it was a start to a more amiable relationship.

“I’ll do the laundry tomorrow,” Levi called from the doorway. His shirt was still unbuttoned, which afforded (Y/n) a glorious (and much coveted) view of her husband’s chiseled abs. It was so overwhelming that she found herself pursing her lips, and swallowing thickly.

Gingerly, she ambled over to where the Corporal stood, before reaching out and pressing her palms against his pecs. A small smile lifted the corners of her lips, which Levi returned with a faint one of his own. And slowly, the (L/n) heiress started doing up the buttons of her husband’s crisp, white shirt. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll handle it.”

Levi wanted to **laugh** at that. It was a sweet offer coming from **her** , of all people, but he knew his wife; and he knew her well. She couldn’t do most house chores to save her life. It wasn’t for lack of trying, but more because of the small fact that she couldn’t touch harsh chemicals— as she always got an allergic reaction to them.

It was also the reason why she used only one specific brand of soap and shampoo; and also why he had to start using those things as well. Because he wanted goddamn showers with his wife. He didn’t even care that Hange always ragged him about smelling like strawberries; she wasn’t the one getting some for enduring such a thing.

Against his better judgment, a sly grin stretched his lips up, just as a thunderous expression shadowed (Y/n)’s face. In response, the brunette snapped a hand up to her husband’s mouth and pinched his lips together. She didn’t mind it when it was her brothers that teased her for her ineptness at household chores, but it irritated her when it came from Levi. “I will slap you, Levi.”

That only made the Corporal’s grin widen, just as he pulled his wife’s hand away from his abused lips. Of course, (Y/n) wasn’t immune to that look; as it was as rare as having meat for dinner at the castle. Slowly, against her will, she found herself practically melting on the spot as Levi grinned down at her— such a boyish expression that made him seem years younger than he actually was.

“Will you tie me up as well, princess? Ride my face until you cum all over my tongue?”

The offer made the (L/n) heiress’ ears perk up. It had been such a long time since they had switched roles in the bedroom, and she couldn’t deny the fact that the idea of assuming control over her husband sounded so tempting. “Maybe. We’ll see.”

“Such a tease, (Y/n). I’ll only accept ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to such simple questions.” Levi narrowed his eyes at her, but his gaze held no real heat in it. How could he be cross with the love of his life, when all he could think about at that moment was getting pleasure from her?

“Then **yes**.”

With that, Levi leaned forward and planted a gentle kiss against his wife’s lips. “I’ll be home by six.”

***

“Can you even carry all of that?” (Y/n) groaned out loud at the sound of Alexei’s dastardly voice, as it echoed through the relatively deserted hallway.

Abruptly, the weighty clothes hamper was taken from her grasp. She looked up and saw the mirror image of her obnoxious older brother, with a small smirk on his face. “Why, thank you for carrying that like a decent human being, Kristof. And you…” Unceremoniously, she took the pouch that she had thrown on top of hers and Levi’s ‘everyday clothes’, and shoved it into her brother’s abdomen— in a pseudo punch.

A whoosh of air left Alexei’s lips, and blue eyes narrowed at her, but he took the forcefully proffered bag in his clutches. It was a bit heavy, which piqued his curiosity enough to peer into the bag.

What he saw inside made him quirk an eyebrow and stifle a laugh. “You’re going to do your laundry?”

“Your mental prowess amazes me. Really, Alexei. How are you not a professor?” (Y/n) quipped sarcastically, which earned a guffaw from Kristof. “And yes, unless you can get Gr- Brigitte here to do it for me.”

“But you know how bad it is for your skin,” Alexei reasoned, now with a hint of worry lacing into his tone.

Despite her brother’s concern though, (Y/n) still trudged forward with both of them walking alongside her. “What choice do I have? I can’t suddenly hire a maid with the money that Levi and I make. If I still had my clinic, then yes, it would be easy to get someone.”

“Do you not have any money saved up?” Kristof asked with a frown.

(Y/n) hesitated for a bit, but ultimately decided to give her brothers a half-truth. After all, she wasn’t even sure of things herself. “We’re saving up for something important. We can’t just tap into our savings for a luxury.”

The twins didn’t dare mention Greta, out of fear that their sister would lash out at them, or worse… have another breakdown; much similar to the one she’d had a few days ago.

“Mother used to pay for my old… well, you get what I mean.” The youngest (L/n) admitted. Her gaze was focused ahead of her, but it was obvious to her brothers that her heart wasn’t entirely set on the conversation. They had no doubt that they would react the same way, had it been them in her position.

“Then just tell her to hire someone new.” Alexei offered. “I’m sure she won’t mind.”

Then Kristof added, “We would pay, but all of our money is back home. We’re essentially freeloading while we’re here."

(Y/n) shook her head, even though a small— and very spoiled— part of her wanted her to agree to what the twins were suggesting. But she knew that it wouldn’t be wise to keep mooching off of her mother, when she was already married. Not to mention the fact that it would upset Levi if she went to her mother, instead of him.

It would have been different had Greta not turned out to be who she was; because she essentially came as a package deal with marrying (Y/n). Because— in all technicality— Greta had always been under Yuliana (L/n)’s employ; not (Y/n)’s.

And it would have been fine with both of them to take over the responsibility of paying her salary, had she not turned out to be who she really was. She would have even turned out as a good nanny…

They would have made things work, even with the paltry compensation that they received from the regiment.

“No. No handouts. How would you feel if Levi gave you a handout?” Her words made sense, and she smiled as her older brothers nodded in acquiescence. “In case you’re wondering, he offered to do the laundry tomorrow. But it’s his only day off, so I want him to actually rest.”

“You must really love him if you’re willing to go this far.” Alexei commented idly, which earned him incredulous looks from both his siblings.

“I wouldn’t have **married** him if I didn’t love him a lot.” (Y/n)’s words were meant to be biting, but they came out as more of a wistful comment than anything. She then scoffed, before knocking her shoulder against Alexei’s bicep. “Now shush, and help me wash these.”

“I knew you were going to say that.” Kristof sighed heavily, but kept walking beside his sister nonetheless.

With that, the three (L/n) siblings made their way to the laundry area that was built a few ways away from the main castle. Thankfully, when they got there, there weren’t any cadets on laundry duty using the space or the equipment. It was a shame for them though, because it was such a perfect day to do laundry… as far as (Y/n) could tell.

***

It took quite a while, but (Y/n), Alexei, and Kristof eventually managed to set up an efficient washing station. (Y/n) scrubbed the clothes— either by hand or against the washboard; depending on the extremity of the dirt, while Alexei and Kristof took turns rinsing and hanging up clothes on the clothesline. 

The youngest (L/n)’s hands hurt like hell— not to mention the fact that the skin around her nails were starting to peel and itch— but she kept at scrubbing, despite her brothers’ offers to switch with her. She wasn’t trying to prove anything to anyone but herself. Hell, she just wanted herself to know that she could do something as domestic as washing clothes.

That was such an irrational and childish reasoning that bolstered her to keep going, but the fact remained that she also wanted Levi to get a decent day of rest. He deserved a day for himself, like any other man or woman.

“(Y/n),” Alexei called hesitantly from his spot beside the aforementioned woman. The brunette hummed her acknowledgement, which had the oldest (L/n) sibling continuing. “I don’t want you to get offended, but I’m really curious… why Levi?”

Instantaneously, (Y/n) stopped scrubbing Levi’s shirt in her hands, as a small smile lifted the corners of her lips. She couldn’t help the reaction, as she’d always envisioned her brothers asking her the very question; yet— out of all the scenarios that came to her mind— Alexei being **polite** about it was the last thing on her list.

She slowly rubbed the rough fabric between her fingers— which moved around most of the suds that clung to the cloth— then she shrugged. “You know I’ve always looked for someone who could understand and accept me for who I am— difficult attitude and all…”

A wistful sigh passed the woman’s lips, and the smile she had widened into a small, flustered grin. “My search for that man ended when I met Levi.”

Undeterred by the silence, (Y/n) continued, “Being with him… well, to put it simply: the entire world just makes sense when I’m with him. He loves me without smothering me, and he protects me without being too overbearing… he’s… well… it might sound so damn cheesy, but he lets me grow and improve as an individual, while we also grow and improve as a couple.

“Hell, we’re still learning how to be a good spouse to each other, even though we’ve already been together for five years; six if you count that one year that we were apart.” (Y/n) finished with a quiet chuckle. She wasn’t quite sure why she was suddenly waxing poetic to her brothers, but the words were already out, and there was no taking them back anymore.

“You have it so bad,” Kristof commented with a slight teasing smirk on his face. If he were to be honest to (Y/n), he was still unsure of his own perception of his brother-in-law; he respected Levi, but he didn’t exactly trust him enough to completely pass him the responsibility of taking care of (Y/n).

He had talked to Alexei about it, and his twin wholeheartedly agreed with his sentiment. It wasn’t that they couldn’t trust the Corporal, it was more of the fact that they couldn’t exactly stop being protective of their sister in the blink of an eye. They merely needed time to come to grips with everything.

“I’m not even ashamed to say yes to that,” the youngest (L/n) admitted with a laugh as she looked up at her brothers; before she sighed and went back to scrubbing Levi’s shirt. “Father would like him a lot.”

“He really would,” the twins answered simultaneously.

“When was the last time that you saw him?” The question came from Alexei. It sounded flat and cold; so unlike his normal jovial tone.

Kristof, in turn, sighed while he wrung out the water from the shirt he held. “It was three months ago, about a month after you went missing. He said he was going to the countryside to meet an informant.”

“And he didn’t think to bring you with him?” (Y/n) asked, her brows furrowed in both frustration and confusion. Her father used to be an officer in the military, she knew that he— of all people— would know how to plan ahead to protect himself. But the cold, empty feeling tugging at her stomach unsettled her enough to doubt even such a veteran’s abilities.

Kristof shook his head. He then tossed the shirt in his hands into the hamper— along with a few other articles of clothing that were ready to be hung up— before answering, “I offered to go, but he told me to stay in the city and ‘hold down the fort’. He didn’t act different, or gave off any indication that he was unsure of what he was doing… so I let him go with a few guards.”

“Could he have been ambushed? Or… turned in to the Tyburs?” Alexei voiced out quietly.

No one dared to answer the eldest (L/n)’s theory, as if verbally verifying things would magically make them more real. All three siblings looked down at their respective tasks, before simultaneously jumping a foot in the air at the reprimand that rang in the air.

“(Y/n)!? What are you doing!?” Yuliana (L/n) looked every bit of a woman incensed as she plodded through the open grounds. All three of her children could practically see the steam rising from her ears, and the twins were about to bolt when their mother pointed at them. “You two, stay here and finish this. (Y/n)…”

A heavy sigh left her lips as she looked down at her daughter; more specifically, the beginnings of an allergic reaction on her hands. Yuliana saw the thinly-veiled fear in (Y/n)’s eyes, and her heart sank as she remembered all of the times that she had berated her daughter for things that were not entirely her fault. Clipped tones and harsh words had become her default when (Y/n) was younger, so it had become a reflex more than anything.

Regrettably, she closed her eyes and forced some semblance of softness into her tone— though it came out awkward and choppy at most. “Come. Let’s put some medicine on your hands before they get worse.”

(Y/n) was more surprised than confused at her mother’s sudden change in tone, but she didn’t dare question it as she gingerly got up from her small stool and followed the older woman back inside. She didn’t even look back to see the disgruntled looks that her brothers were drilling right into her back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! Thank you for reading! I promise that there will be smut in the next chapter. <3 It just felt too soon to add another smutty scene after something emotionally heavy. :D
> 
> Comments and suggestions are greatly appreciated! Please and thank you! <3


	33. Chapter 33

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! Smut ahoy!
> 
> Comments and suggestions are greatly appreciated. Plus, they make me write faster. :D <3

Darkness.

It was all Levi could see. But with every weighty breath that left him, his senses became sharper and sharper… until all he could feel was (Y/n)’s light and fleeting touches upon his skin. The tips of her fingers glided down his jaw, to the side of his neck, before settling right above where his heart was.

Abruptly, the hand that was on his chest seized his neck in a tight grip; firm enough to make him feel the pressure, but not too firm so as to completely choke him. Levi’s heart thrummed faster in his chest, and he had no doubt that his wife could feel his pulse hammering against the pads of her fingers.

“ _Ah_ ,” (Y/n) moaned quietly, with her lips brushing lightly against Levi’s. “Your cock’s already so hard, Levi.”

Slowly, the (L/n) heiress pressed languid and open-mouthed kisses against her husband’s lips; only to have that pace increase when he responded fervently. Her tongue snaked past his lips— briefly getting a feel of the soft flesh— before delving inside his mouth to play with his own tongue.

Her grip around his neck never slackened; not until she pulled away and he chased after her. (Y/n) had to apply some force to push Levi’s head back down against the pillow. And as she gazed down at his seemingly-helpless form, a small smirk curled her lips up at the corners.

She did **love** seeing her husband tied up in bed; all hot and needy for her.

His cock already stood at attention, his fingers twitched every so often as he forced his bound hands to stay still, and his face was tinted a nice hue of pink with every teasing gesture she made. Levi would never admit it to anyone— except her— but he really loved submitting to (Y/n) every once in a while. He once said that it helped him relax; as he trusted her enough to let her have control over **everything**. In a sense, it was liberating for him to surrender his entirety to (Y/n).

“Do you want me to suck it?” The conniving woman asked in a somewhat lilting tone.

Levi shook his head, biting down on his bottom lip as he waited in anticipation for his wife’s answer.

“Use your words, Levi.”

There was a brief bout of silence, until, “Please, (Y/n). I want to taste your pussy. I want you to cum all over my mouth.”

“Very good, my love,” (Y/n) whispered with a smile, before leaning down and pressing the briefest of kisses against Levi’s lips. When she pulled away, she took the hand around his neck away from him, and used it to help support herself against the headboard as she moved to straddle Levi’s face.

In turn, the raven-haired man beneath her moved his arms downwards to make it easier for her to reposition herself. And slowly, she lowered her already-damp cunt against the corporal’s face.

The first swipe of his tongue against her slit felt like electricity coursing through her, and when his teeth nibbled on her clit— (Y/n) had to hold on tightly to the headboard. A few choice expletives, as well as praises regarding her husband’s prowess in eating her out passed breathlessly through her lips; so frequently, in fact, that she had to bite down on her bottom lip to keep herself from babbling.

Her right hand moved down from its grip on the headboard, to tangle itself in Levi’s hair. And with that, she started gyrating her hips to get her husband to focus more on her clit. When he did though, (Y/n) wanted to scream in so much pleasure; because even without his hands to help him, he already had her on the brink of an orgasm.

And when Levi slipped his tongue inside her, she could do nothing but let out a stuttering gasp— that doubled as a moan— as her release coursed through her.

With a satisfied smile curling her lips, (Y/n) lightly scratched at the raven-haired man’s locks. “That was amazing, Levi.”

The man himself answered by pulling his tongue out of his wife, before flicking at her clit. “Thank you.”

(Y/n) had accepted long ago that the love of her life was a man of a few words, so she didn’t feel bad at all with his lack of verbal response. Even without the words, she could still tell what he was thinking, and how he was feeling… with just a look at his well-defined face. Most would say that his expressions were unreadable, but she begged to differ; most people just didn’t know where to look, and what to look for with Levi.

But now, judging by the more prominent blush on his cheeks, and the way that his breath hit her core in ragged pants, she was sure that he was already more than hard up for his turn. So, with that, the (L/n) heiress readjusted herself so that her cunt was flush against her lover’s hard cock.

His bound hands rested just a few centimeters away from her crotch, but he kept his fingers tightly woven together— more to restrain himself from touching (Y/n) than anything else. This reversal of their roles meant that he had to follow the rules that she had set up, and one of them was that he couldn’t touch her without her explicit consent.

He had learned the hard way when he first broke that rule. She had teased him for what felt like years; pumping his cock with that tight cunt of hers, and bringing him close to the edge, but never letting him cum.

“Arms up, my love,” (Y/n) ordered curtly, then smiled at the complete submission that Levi showed, as he lifted his bound hands above his head.

Slowly, the brunette slid up his cock— making Levi inhale sharply— to rest on his abdomen. She then leaned down and planted a light kiss against her lover’s glossy lips— still damp with her cum— before trailing a myriad of butterfly kisses up to the Corporal’s forehead.

But when she got a whiff of the lingering scent of their shared shampoo, the reaction was instantaneous: she retched and frantically pulled away from Levi. And that motion was then followed by the man himself abruptly pulling his blindfold off.

Grey eyes looked at (Y/n) with worry, as she held her hands over her mouth with her eyes screwed shut.

“What’s wrong?” The question came out as soft and inquiring, which eased some of the woman’s trepidations. They were already married, and they **wanted** this, but she wasn’t ready to tell him… not until she was sure of it. But it seemed that the better choice to go with here was the truth.

With her eyes still closed, (Y/n) tried to get her breathing back in check with the respiratory exercises that she had read in one of those pre-natal books— that she had squirreled away in the infirmary. And once she felt relatively good enough to talk, she removed her hands from her mouth, and stared down at her husband.

“I wanted to wait to tell you, because I’m not entirely sure yet, but…” (Y/n) mumbled quietly, “I think I’m pregnant.”

Levi’s eyes widened in response to his wife’s admission. He felt like his heart had stopped beating, and all of the blood that was rushing to his erection suddenly rushed up to his head. His heart was hammering so hard in his chest, and his breaths had grown shallower… one would think that he was already dead with how stiff he was.

And then… slowly, tears started rolling down the sides of his face. A watery smile played at his lips, and he didn’t even bother to suppress it as he sat upright— which caused (Y/n) to slide down onto his lap (and his now half-hard erection)— and slid his bound hands over his wife’s head, so that he could envelop her in a hug.

In response, she rested her head against his chest— as both a sign of her affection, and also as a means to avoid his strawberry-scented hair.

“Thank you, (Y/n).” He would never admit it out loud, for the sake of not sounding like a total dumbass, but she had made him the happiest man alive… for the second time, of course. The first time was when they finally got married.

Before her, he had never really thought much about settling down and wanting to have children, but that outlook changed when he met her. Hell, he used to think that marriage was a joke before (Y/n). He knew now that the only reason why he thought that way, was because he hadn’t met someone who would make him want all of that and more. And when he did, he had been more than willing to throw away his past ideologies and adapt a new and more positive way of thinking.

To think that one woman would make him succumb to domesticity so greatly… Farlan and Isabel would laugh at him now. Or maybe they would be happy for him, he wasn’t really sure with those two.

Levi then cleared his throat, before whispering against her hair, “How far along?”

“Maybe six weeks, give or take.” The brunette smiled, as she wrapped her arms around her husband’s torso. Her fingers started drawing aimless patterns across the muscled planes of his back, which made Levi sigh in contentment.

“If you’ve been getting sick from the damn shampoo,” Levi began, “Then what have you been using?”

“I have a spare jasmine-scented one from the same shop, which I keep under the sink.” (Y/n) chuckled sheepishly. “I purposely kept it from you so that you wouldn’t get suspicious. I just… didn’t want to get your hopes up if this is one of those false pregnancies.”

“I don’t even know what that is, (Y/n).”

“Well, it’s when a woman’s body thinks that it’s pregnant, when it’s just false symptoms. Besides, I haven’t encountered any episode of morning sickness.” The (L/n) heiress admitted with a small huff. She knew, as a doctor, that not all women exhibited the same pregnancy symptoms, but she couldn’t help but feel paranoid that she hadn’t been sick in the mornings.

Usually, majority of her pregnant patients back in Mitras always complained of morning sickness, so it stood to reason that she would expect that to happen with her as well. But it didn’t, and it still hadn’t yet… save for the bouts of nausea that she experienced whenever she smelled something that used to be pleasant to her.

“Then we’ll just have to make sure to make one tonight, don’t we?” Levi practically purred against (Y/n)’s ear. His words, and his manner of delivering the message, sent shivers down the brunette’s spine; good shivers… excited shivers.

It just solidified the fact that she was going to get fucked, and she was going to get fucked thoroughly tonight. She didn’t even mind about the momentary shift in control between the two of them.

And so, with a catty smile playing at her lips, (Y/n) repositioned one of her hands behind her— reaching downwards and stroking her husband’s semi-hard cock back to full attention. With every pass of her thumb against the head of his erection, Levi would let out tiny groans, and almost imperceptible sighs of pleasure.

“What do you want, my love?” She asked softly; her voice taking on an almost-teasing lilt towards the end of her sentence. And to further tease Levi, she lightly bit down on his left clavicle, before soothing the bite with her tongue.

“I want-” Levi was cut off by a throaty moan passing his lips, all because (Y/n) had tightened her grip around his length. Still, with gritted teeth, he pushed past the immense pleasure and answered— albeit breathlessly, “I want you to put my cock inside you. Fuck, (Y/n). I want to fuck you. Please.”

Had Levi’s hands not been tied together, she had no doubt that he would already be balls deep inside her at that point. He never had been one to enjoy her merciless teasing.

So to put him out of his horny misery, (Y/n) lifted herself up slightly so she could align his cock at her entrance, before sitting back down to slip him inside her wet cunt. A breathless gasp reverberated inside the quiet room, as the brunette dug her right hand’s nails into her lover’s back; creating crescent shaped indentations on his pale skin.

Slowly, (Y/n) moved up and down against the Corporal, not even minding the noise that the headboard banging against the wall made. All that was important to them was chasing after their release.

With every move that the (L/n) heiress made, her nails would dig deeper into Levi’s skin, which earned the lustiest moans that she had ever heard from the man himself. She had to resort to shutting him up by tangling her free hand in his hair and pulling him in for an open-mouthed kiss.

After that, it didn’t take long for Levi to quicken the pace that they had going— a clear sign of his oncoming orgasm. And when she felt the telltale warmth of his cum inside her, she squeezed herself tighter around his dick, which resulted in a muffled cry of pleasure against her lips.

Both of them were panting when they pulled away from each other, merely gazing into each other’s eyes as they basked in Levi’s post-orgasm state.

“Sorry,” Levi apologized awkwardly, after a brief bout of silence.

“It’s alright,” (Y/n) answered with a kiss to his lips. “We’re not done yet, **Captain**.”

***

“You seem happy about something, care to tell me about it?” The Corporal asked softly as he and his wife lay beneath the covers— with his arm around her shoulders, and her body cuddled up against his side, with her leg thrown across his lap.

A wry grin pulled (Y/n)’s lips up at the corners, and she tilted her head back so she could look up at her husband’s side profile. He did look very delicious; tasty enough for a fourth round, even. “It’s just what happened with my mother earlier.”

“After she caught you doing the laundry?” Levi deadpanned, as he cast a slight glare over at the stubborn woman. “Even **after** I said that I would do it tomorrow?”

(Y/n)’s grin turned sheepish then, but she tried to make it up to Levi by pressing a kiss against his jaw. It seemed to work because, with a sigh, he rolled his eyes and quirked an eyebrow at her— a signal for her to continue.

“I know, I said sorry, okay?” She said with a slight pout. “But yes, after that. When she took me to the infirmary… she was so nice, Levi. Very caring as she put the soothing balm on my hands.”

A wistful expression dawned upon (Y/n)’s face, which had the raven-haired man beside her smiling slightly. He truly was happy that his wife had finally settled things with her mother. Though things were still a tad awkward, especially with regards to their interactions with each other, they were still on the way to having a perfectly normal mother-daughter bond.

“I just hope that I can be a good mom to our little Bean...” (Y/n) trailed off, all the while noting the disbelief that shadowed Levi’s features. He then turned his narrowed eyes down at her, but she cut him off immediately, “You know, like Bean… as in Hange’s pet Titan? She told me all about him and Sawney.”

“ **No** , (Y/n). You’re not calling the brat that.”

“You don’t like Bean? How about Sandy? It’s kind of close to Sawney.” (Y/n) teased.

“ **NO**. Think of something else…”

With a laugh, (Y/n) pressed her face close to her husband’s, then started peppering the areas she could reach with butterfly kisses. “Just kidding. I was thinking Klaus if it’s a boy, and Katjana... or Küchel if it’s a girl.”

“Why those names?” Levi already had an inkling as to why, but he wanted her to confirm it. Still, his heart felt so simultaneously light and heavy in his chest, as he gazed down at the love of his life; the only woman he’d willingly give everything up for.

“Because I know how much you loved your mother, Levi.” (Y/n) smiled softly, as she lifted her right hand up and touched Levi’s cheek in an almost reverent fashion.

Levi couldn’t speak even if he wanted to. He was at such a loss for words as he looked down at his wife. Truly, he must have done something so saintly in a past life to be rewarded with someone like her. And so, he instead made his gratefulness evident by leaning down and pressing a tender kiss to her forehead.


	34. Chapter 34

Out of all the things that (Y/n) could have done to earn the ire of the gods, the last thing she had expected to be the root cause of that was that she had mentally called them out for not giving her bouts of morning sickness.

In a way, it seemed that she had jinxed her former luck because, at that moment, she was hunched over the toilet, while her husband held her hair back and rubbed her back in awkward— but soothing— motions. She had to give him credit, though, because any other man would have run off at the very first signs of morning sickness.

Then again, not many men killed Titans for a living, and even fewer were splattered with blood at an alarmingly high frequency.

“Are you alright, (Y/n)?” Levi asked unsurely. He adjusted his left hand that held (Y/n)’s hair back, as he looked down at her with blatant concern on his features.

In response, (Y/n) wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, before glaring up at the raven-haired man. “What do you think? Would you like to try barfing your gastric juices up?”

She seemed to realize the snippiness in her tone, because her shoulders visibly hunched— while her features softened. “Sorry. I just feel like hell, Levi. Can you please get me some water? My mouth tastes like shit.”

Levi wasn’t really mad— not when he had heard of this from some of the people in town. They were always bitching about how their wives were always sick and snappy with them; and how they just wanted their kid to be born already, so that their personal version of hell would end. Instead of feeling any negativity towards her though, he felt **happy** that she had begun exhibiting more pregnancy symptoms.

It just made things all the more real and official: they were having a baby. 

With one last affectionate pat on his wife’s head, the Corporal moved over to the bedroom— where they kept a carafe of drinking water— to get the drink that she had requested. Though, when he looked down at his hands, he had to stand still when he saw how badly they were shaking. 

He couldn’t deny that he was damn happy about the news, but he was naught to admit that he was also nervous about it. As someone who had never had a proper parental figure after his mother died, he wasn’t sure if he was going to be the best damn father to his child. But he wasn’t going to dwell on that; all he could do was push forward and try to be— at the very least— a good one.

“Levi-” (Y/n)’s sentence was cut off by a stomach curdling retch, that made even **Levi** feel a bit queasy. And he would never tell anyone, but he had to take his time with pouring the water into a cup because he wasn’t sure if he was going to be able to stomach more of his wife’s puking. 

Fortunately, that last retch wasn’t followed by more; though, what came out of the (L/n) heiress’ mouth was more than enough to earn a slight smile from the Corporal. “Please dear gods above, if you exist, I’m sorry for defying you. Please make it stop.”

***

“Stay there, I’ll get you some food,” Levi instructed in a gentle tone as he helped his wife sit down at the table. She looked a bit pale from her earlier bout of morning sickness, but otherwise felt fine— according to her. But he was still worried about her, so he wanted to ask Hange to let her have the day off that day.

All that the cadets were going to do was clean around Headquarters, so he didn’t think that they would be dumb enough to hurt themselves while doing such a menial task. Hence, a perfectly good time to ask for a day off for (Y/n). 

Besides, he was sure that his new Commander would understand if he explained the situation thoroughly. Though he wasn’t too sure about how long she would be able to keep it to herself. He wagered that the entire regiment would know by the next day about both his marriage, and his child.

He didn’t even want to think about how his wife’s brothers were going to react, once they found out. More glaring was sure to ensue when the news reached them. It was just a good thing that they were going to leave that afternoon; which meant only half a day of enduring their withering stares.

Normally, Levi wouldn’t care about anyone looking at him with that much disdain, but he would be lying if he said that he didn’t appreciate the way that they disliked him for marrying their sister. Most people tended to judge him because he used to be a thug from the Underground, but those two merely disliked him as a person. In a sense, that was refreshing as hell.

“Thank you, Levi,” (Y/n) answered, just as a warm smile lit her features up.

Levi couldn’t help it, he found himself mirroring her actions, just as his left hand went to cup her cheek tenderly. Which was then followed by utensils loudly clattering against wood, as the members of his squad stared dumbly at him and his wife. 

“Shut your damn mouths, brats.” He snapped at them, before turning away from (Y/n) and marching down to the food queue.

“Not used to displays of affection here?” The (L/n) heiress began sheepishly. “Sorry.”

“Are you alright, Lady (Y/n)?” Armin asked, just as a worried look crossed his features.

Sasha nodded, even while she bit a chunk out of the bread roll that she was holding. Then she added, with a mouthful of food, “Yeah, you look kind of pale, Lady (Y/n).”

“I’m fine. It’s just one of those days,” the aforementioned Lady answered with a reassuring smile. 

The scouts didn’t know what kind of day she was pertaining to, but no one dared to question her— in fear of earning their Captain’s ire. They already had a lot to clean that day, they didn’t want to add more tasks to that; like cleaning the stables, or being on kitchen duty for a month.

“By the way, is anyone of you assigned to the infirmary today?” At that question, both Sasha and Connie raised their hands. They looked so curious as to why (Y/n) would ask about it so suddenly, but the (L/n) heiress left them hanging, with a sweet smile on her face. 

Little did they know that they were the lucky ones that day; because she had been wanting to eat the box of candied fruits that her mother had brought for her, and it just so happened that she was going to eat it that day.

“I’ll see you two later. Don’t eat too much, okay?” 

“Why don’t they need to eat much?” Hange’s curious tone echoed aloud from behind (Y/n), which made her look over her shoulder to see the other woman. “Are you going to make them run until they vomit?”

She was still more subdued compared to how jovial she was when (Y/n) first met her, but she was slowly becoming that happy-go-lucky mad scientist that everyone clearly missed. It was evident by the wise cracks that she would often spout during breakfast, by the teasing remarks that she would shoot at Levi every so often, and also by the overall way that she held herself.

Hange was also healing, and everyone could clearly see that. She had lost as much— if not more— than anyone in the Survey Corps, so no one dared to point it out. Lest they be punished by helping her with her paperwork.

“I don’t even have the authority to do that, Hange,” (Y/n) giggled, before patting the empty space beside her; which her friend gladly accepted. It was supposed to be Levi’s seat, but she knew he would understand the perfectly acceptable reason why she gave his seat up.

“You’re Levi’s wife. You have **some** authority,” The woman announced with a laugh, which had (Y/n) slapping a hand over her friend’s mouth.

“ _Shh_ , not so loud, Hange. Remember how that’s still… somewhat of a secret?” It really wasn’t by that point, but she and Levi neither confirmed nor denied the rumors of their marriage, so they still considered it confidential information. “And no, I’m merely the Survey Corps’ physician. I don’t even have a rank.” 

The Commander shook her head, then pulled her friend’s hand away, as a wide grin lit up her features. “There’s no sense in hiding it anymore, (Y/n). **Everyone** knows. It’s way too obvious because hey, Levi’s suddenly wearing a ring, and you are too. Coincidence? No. People aren’t that oblivious, (Y/n).” 

“What’s this? Terrorizing (Y/n) so early in the day, Four-eyes?” Levi’s gruff voice reached both women’s ears, which had both of them looking over to where the raven-haired man stood across from them.

As gently as possible, so as to not spill the vegetable stew, Levi slid the tray over to his wife. “Here. Eat.”

“This… is a lot, Levi.” (Y/n) stared wide-eyed at the plate in front of her. “Is this your share as well? I’m going to blow up if you feed me like this.” 

“So what?” The Corporal shrugged. “Just eat.”

“Awww. Isn’t that adorable?” Hange cooed at (Y/n)— who was looking down at her double serving of breakfast to hide the blush on her face.

“ _Oi_ , Hange,” the Corporal called brusquely, as he sat on the seat across his wife. “Today’s not a busy day, so can you give (Y/n) the day off?”

“Why? Do you have **plans** together?” The scientist teased with a narrowed eye at her second-in-command. She knew that it was going to be a particularly lax day, so she had no qualms with (Y/n) taking another day off, but she really wanted to know why Levi would be the one asking for such a thing. 

Meanwhile, (Y/n) could only stare wide-eyed at her husband, before placing her spoon back in the bowl of stew. Her gaze flitted between the two people at the table with her and, when she noticed that they weren’t paying attention to her, she blatantly cleared her throat. “I was planning on continuing on my research, Levi.”

“You have to rest,” Levi insisted.

And now it was Hange’s turn to quirk an eyebrow at her married friends. “Is there something that I should know about?”

“He’s just paranoid because… well…” (Y/n) began hesitantly. She wasn’t even completely sure about it, but it was better to let the Commander know what exactly was going on within Headquarters. Besides, she trusted the other woman to keep it to herself for at least a few weeks. 

That would be enough time for her to get used to the fact that there really was a tiny person growing inside her; hers and Levi’s tiny person. “Because I think I’m pregnant.”

“WHAT!? You’re pregnant!?” Hange cried with glee; and it took everything in the married couple not to hit their heads against the table. “Congratulations, (Y/n)!”

So much for keeping things a secret for now. 

At that, **all** heads turned towards their table, with curious looks blatantly displayed on the soldiers’ faces. Some even had the gall to stand up to get a better look at (Y/n), which irked Levi even more.

“Anyone who doesn’t mind their own business will be cleaning up horse shit for the rest of the year!” Levi bellowed irately. His glare passed over all the people in the room— sans his wife— which made all of the curious onlookers duck their heads in fear. 

With a sigh, Levi got out of his seat and helped (Y/n) get out of hers. He then got the tray with his wife’s breakfast on it, before glaring at Hange. “Come with us, Four-eyes. We need to talk… in private.” 

“Did I say something wrong, Levi?” The Commander knew **exactly** what she had done, but she couldn’t deny how comical Levi’s and (Y/n)’s expressions had been when she purposely confirmed everyone’s suspicions.

Hell, it was unethical of her to even have bet against most of the new cadets, but winning some money sure made it worth getting an earful from Levi.

***

“Ooh, are you welcoming me into your den of iniquity?” Hange asked with a laugh, as she looked around Levi’s office. 

“It’s hardly a den of iniquity anymore, Hange.” (Y/n) answered with a quiet huff, as she tucked into her breakfast. It was rude of her to eat without them, but her rumbling stomach had another thing in mind; which was why Levi forced her into his chair and made her eat on his immaculately clean desk. “It’s a love nest now."

Levi clicked his tongue at the two women, but stood beside his wife as he looked at his Commander across the table. “I was asking because I don’t want my wife to tire herself out.”

“I’m fine, Levi. Morning sickness is normal…” The (L/n) heiress tried to placate her husband with a few bats of her eyelashes, which was partnered with a warm smile. It seemed to work, because his stiff posture relaxed the slightest amount, and his glare on Hange lightened up into a indifferent stare. “But since we’re all here… Hange, I have a request. Can I borrow Armin Arlert to help me conduct my research?”

“Him? Not Eren?” Hange asked curiously.

(Y/n) nodded, then glanced up at Levi when he placed a supportive hand on her shoulder. She had talked to him about conducting blood-testing experiments, but they never really went in-depth with them. And she appreciated his silent way of showing her his unconditional support.

He didn’t cut her off and shoot her thoughts down like most men; he didn’t invalidate her words just because she hadn’t talked to him about it first. That was one of the things she loved the most about Levi; he was gruff and uncouth most of the time, but when he respected someone, he did that unconditionally— as long as they were deserving of it. He gave people a fair chance, even though most people didn’t even give him the time of the day as soon as they found out that he was from the Underground.

“Yes. He’s much more discreet than Eren. And no one would expect me to ask him for help with something so important; since not everyone knows that he has the Colossal Titan’s power.” (Y/n) explained her choice as briefly as possible. She didn’t want to get Hange started on the pros and cons of choosing Eren over Armin, or vice versa. There would be no end to that debate.

“What do you say, Levi?” The Commander passed the final say to the Corporal. “He **is** on your squad anyway.” 

Levi didn’t even have to think about it. He was fine with anything that (Y/n) wanted to do, as long as she got some rest. “As long as she rests, then it’s alright. Maybe an extra day off will do…” 

“Levi,” (Y/n) hissed quietly, just as she set her spoon in the bowl and reached up to pinch her husband’s bicep. “I’ll be keeping my regular schedule, thank you very much.”

The Corporal’s face was impassive, even as he felt the pain searing into his very soul. Still, he refused to let Hange know just how painful his wife’s pinch was, as he placed a hand on top of hers to gently pry her fingers off of his bicep. He wanted to hiss and glare at (Y/n), but he knew that doing so would only make it worse for himself.

But damn, if it didn’t feel like she was clawing out his arm muscles. He had no doubt that she could probably bring down an entire battalion with just her hands as weapons.

 _‘Maybe I should sic her on an unlucky bastard during interrogations?’_ He thought to himself, just as the ghost of a smile lifted his lips.

“What’s so funny, huh?” (Y/n) swatted her husband’s hand off of hers, before latching on to his bicep once more. That time, however, Levi couldn’t hold back his reaction: wide eyes, and gritted teeth, all while a pained hiss left his lips.

“Nothing.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! Hope you liked that.
> 
> As always, comments are greatly appreciated. <3 Oh, and I'm planning on making this story around 50 chapters long? Is that too much???? Well, I just want to touch base on all the topics I've opened up within the first half of the story without rushing into things. So we will steadily be closing those plot points along the way. <3
> 
> And also, shoutout to Alex for reminding my inner geriatric self about the main plot point that I had been missing for this chapter. I cannot believe I forgot something so vital to the story (well, I can, but that's beside the point. lol). Your chapter will be coming soon. <3 Be sure to get some tissues, please. Ehehehehehe.


	35. Chapter 35

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! Important note at the end. <3

“Lady (Y/n)?” Armin didn’t know exactly **why** his presence was requested to a secluded outpost— an hour outside of Trost— but he could do nothing but obey his Commander’s orders.

And it would have been fine, had it just been the aforementioned member of nobility in the area with him. But the moment that he saw Levi, he knew that it had to be really important for him to have been there.

Immediately, he straightened up into a salute, which the older man returned with a curt nod. “At ease. Follow me, Armin.”

The blond soldier could only nod, as he followed his Captain down to the sizeable cabin for officials. However, along the way, Levi couldn’t bite back the threat that was burning on his tongue.

Even if (Y/n) had warned him not to threaten Armin, he just wanted to set things straight. “Let’s get one thing clear, Arlert. If (Y/n) gets hurt in any way, whether it’s just a scratch, I will break every bone in your body. Got that?”

“I- yes, Captain!” Armin wasn’t sure if he should give a salute, and he **was** about to do so, when (Y/n) emerged from the cabin.

“Levi!” The brunette scolded her husband. “I thought we already talked about this?”

At that, Levi merely shook his head while sending a narrow-eyed look at Armin. It wasn’t that he didn’t care about his squad member’s welfare, but it was more of the fact that he cared eons more about his wife, compared to anyone else. But he couldn’t exactly tell her to stop doing whatever it was that she wanted to do; he didn’t have the heart to trample on her feelings like that.

So, he could only watch and follow (Y/n) and Armin into the small area that the former had asked him to set up hours earlier.

“We’ll just do blood testing today, and then we’ll progress on to minor shifting exercises. Will that be fine with you, Armin?” The (L/n) heiress inquired gently, as she rubbed an antiseptic-soaked cotton ball below the tourniquet she had placed around his arm.

The younger man’s gaze flitted from the gentle woman sitting next to him, to his Captain who stood right behind her. Levi’s glare was so unnerving— as if **daring** him to disagree with (Y/n)’s wishes— that he found himself nodding automatically. “Yes, Lady (Y/n). That’s fine with me.” 

“Levi, I can feel your glare all the way from there.” The sole woman in the clearing chastised flatly; not once taking her eyes off of the blood-filled syringe in her hands. It was only a small amount, which made it difficult to see the air bubbles that had formed within the tube.

But before she could do anything else, a spark of lightning illuminated the clearing, which had Levi rushing to pull his wife to safety. With an arm wrapped around her middle, the Corporal practically picked (Y/n) up before lugging her a good few meters away from the transforming Armin. 

“It was only a small wound, so I think it will just be his arm that’s transformed? Hange told me all about the teaspoon incident with Eren,” (Y/n) smiled up at her husband, but he couldn’t seem to muster up the effort to return her affectionate look. Not because he didn’t want to, but because the sight of those dark circles beneath her eyes made him more worried than he already was. 

She had been staying up late with him for the past few nights; _‘doing research’_ , she would say as she flipped through Hange’s journals, as well as her own medical textbooks.

If she weren’t pregnant, then he wouldn’t be as worried as he was. But she was— as evidenced by all the symptoms that made themselves known, as the days passed them by. Not to mention the small baby bump that had begun showing a few days ago. 

Hell, he couldn’t even touch her breasts anymore when they had sex; which had started to happen less frequently. He understood that both of them were busy, and both of them were tired, but damn if he didn’t want to do it with his wife all the time.

And while Levi was lost in his own silent musings, (Y/n) gently pried his arm off of her torso. “You’re crushing Bean, Levi.”

Levi wanted to get mad at that dastardly name. There was **no way** in hell or high heaven that he was going to name his child after a damn Titan. But he couldn’t get mad at (Y/n); so, he did the next best thing… sighed heavily and scowled at his wife.

***

(Y/n) held the syringe up to the light that came from the candle; before flicking the air bubbles up to the top of the clear tube, and pressing the plunger to get rid of the air pocket they made. “We can work on this during your free time, Armin. I don’t mind. After all, I’m the one asking you a favor here. **Right, Levi?** ”

“ _Tch_.” The Corporal scoffed, but said nothing else as he crossed his arms over his chest. As much as he loved his wife, he really disliked it when she lectured him. It wasn’t as if he had hurt Armin; he had merely insinuated what would happen to him if his wife got hurt during their shifting experiments. 

“It’s really no problem, Lady (Y/n). I’ll do anything I can to help.” Armin really was such a sweetheart, (Y/n) couldn’t deny that. So, she found herself smiling as she set the syringe down on the table, before picking up the spare tourniquet that she had brought with her. She fully expected Armin’s arm to have shifted into its Titan form, which ultimately left her no choice but to carry a few extra ones. 

“Thank you, Armin. I’ll be sure not to burden you too much,” (Y/n) promised, just as she tied the tourniquet to her right arm. She almost wanted to laugh at the horrified look on the blond’s face, when she picked up an empty syringe and used that to draw her own blood. 

When the process was done, (Y/n) removed the hypodermic needle from her arm and repeated the same process to her own blood. She got rid of the air bubbles, before setting out a handful of glass slides and organizing them into three categories: a few with just Armin’s blood, a handful with just hers, and ones with a combination of both their blood samples.

Had it been any regular test, she wouldn’t have bothered with using a syringe, but she didn’t want to risk getting any foreign specimens onto the slides, so she opted for a more sterile method to procure samples. 

Levi had to admit that watching (Y/n) work was, for lack of better word, mesmerizing. He didn’t know a lick about any of the chemicals that she had organized on top of her work table, but watching her stay so focused on her task made him proud to call himself her husband. Hell, he couldn’t believe that someone like him would manage to be loved by such a tenacious woman; if someone at all.

He wanted to ask her what she was doing, but she seemed so engrossed in her work, that he settled for standing up to get a closer look for himself. Her hands were so steady as she worked on smearing the blood against the glass slides; she looked so in her element, that it made Levi crack the tiniest of smiles.

“We have to wait a few hours for the dyes to set in, so we can just leave this here and continue tomorrow.” (Y/n) smiled at the younger man, before turning to her husband. “I’ll wash up, then get started on making dinner.”

“Just wash up, then come down so we can eat. I’ll make dinner.” Levi lifted a hand up to his lips, pressed a kiss into his fingertips, before touching his hand to his wife’s forehead. He would have just gone straight for a kiss, had Armin not been in the room with them. 

If the blond were to be honest, he would rather have been **anywhere** else than in that room. He had already averted his gaze from the lovey-dovey couple in front of him, but he couldn’t— for the life of him— unsee the affectionate way that his superior had given his wife a kiss. Never had he imagined the Corporal to be capable of something so… sweet.

And to further prove his point…

“Get started on peeling those potatoes, Arlert.” Levi practically barked at the younger man, which had Armin standing at attention in a salute.

“Yes, sir!” 

And with that, the soldier left the room; wondering why he was the one feeling awkward when it wasn’t him who had been doing something uncharacteristic. Still, he couldn’t confide in anyone about it; especially not the people he was with at that moment. Not if he wanted to live through the night. 

“You should be nicer to Armin. I’m the one that dragged him out here; it’s the least we can do, Levi.” (Y/n) pleaded with her husband softly, before getting up from her seat and cupping his face in her hands. “Be nice. Please?” 

“Alright.” The raven-haired man sighed in acquiescence. “I’ll try to be nice.”

“Is that a Levi Ackerman promise?” A grin tugged at the corners of the (L/n) heiress’ lips as she teased her lover.  
  
In response, Levi narrowed his eyes at her, but agreed with her embarrassing moniker for his promises. “Yes. I promise.” 

“Good. I might just give my amazing husband a **reward**. Who knows?” With that, (Y/n) squeezed the Corporal’s cheeks, then pressed a chaste kiss to his lips before sashaying off towards their shared, temporary bedroom.

***

“Don’t put any carrots in (Y/n)’s bowl. She doesn’t like those. And put my share of meat in her bowl,” Levi instructed Armin quietly, all while he put two tablespoons of sugar into his wife’s ginger tea. He didn’t have a particular fondness for the concoction, but he had no choice but to join her in drinking it, because even a small finger of ginger was always enough to make four cups. 

At that point, Armin knew that he shouldn’t have been surprised at how caring his Captain was towards Lady (Y/n), but he **still** was. He didn’t have a clue as to how to answer that, so he remained silent.

“ _Oi_ , have you suddenly gone deaf?” The raven-haired man snapped. “(Y/n) hasn’t even started singing yet.”

Scratch his prior musings. Now Armin **really** didn’t know how to answer. To have Levi— Humanity’s Strongest Soldier— crack what seemed to be the subtlest of jokes at his wife’s expense, was so outlandish that he found himself holding his breath. The blond even feared the worst: that he was already dead and his soul was in limbo.

Thankfully, the blond was saved from having to answer that lame attempt at a joke when the butt of said joke sashayed into the kitchen. 

“Hello, my love.” (Y/n) greeted chirpily, as she sidled up to her husband so she could press a kiss to his cheek. Unlike the Corporal, she had no such reservations against public displays of affection. As long as it was still appropriate, she had no shame in doing it. 

“Hello, Armin. Thank you for helping Levi with dinner preparations,” the brunette beamed at the young soldier. “I’ll go and set up the table.” 

With that, the (L/n) heiress pranced off to the cupboard. She hummed an off-key tune under her breath as she set out to do her task, but Levi didn’t seem to mind— or care— about the noise. Armin caught himself staring that the older woman, and immediately returned to his own task of plating up their meal. 

And when he had returned to the table, with the last tray of food in his hands, he was genuinely surprised to see that the trayed meals he had set down earlier were already arranged in such a meticulous manner— that it made him want to stop and ask why they had so much silverware on the table. “This set is specifically for you, Lady (Y/n).”

The only time that soldier had seen such a set up was when he had stayed in Mitras.

“Thank you. Make yourself comfortable, Armin,” (Y/n) offered warmly, as she took the tray of food in her hands. She then made quick work of setting it up at her spot. “Levi, it’s time to eat.”

“Yeah. I’m coming.” The Corporal answered flatly— devoid of any innuendo— yet a catty smile still bloomed on his wife’s face. She didn’t say anything, but it was obvious to Armin what she had found so funny.

And cue more awkwardness. Maybe he should have insisted to go back to Trost? It was only an hour away. Hell, riding out at this time sounded better than having to endure more awkward encounters with the married couple he was staying with. 

“Get a hold of yourself. You’re scaring the brat.” Levi chastised his wife, as he put a hand on her head. He squeezed the top of her head, before he distributed the ginger tea from the tray that he balanced on his left hand.

At the sight of the current silver lining to her life, (Y/n) beamed up at her husband. “Ah, thank you, Levi. I was actually craving for this.”

“I know.” The raven-haired man deadpanned. “You couldn’t stop talking about it during the ride here.”

Sheepishly, (Y/n) scratched at her cheek. “Really? I don’t remember. But hurry, so we can eat. The food’s getting cold.”

Once Levi was sat at the head of the table, the trio dug in to their respective meals. Everything was silent, save for the quiet clinking of silverware against porcelain, until the sole woman in the room noticed what her husband had done.

“ _Tsk._ You need to eat more meat, Levi.” She huffed, before taking her spoon and transferring some meat into the Corporal’s bowl of stew.

Armin fully expected him to throw a fit, but he was thrown for a loop when his Captain merely rolled his eyes. And if his eyes weren’t deceiving him, **he was blushing**.  
  
“I’m not the one eating for two here.”

“Yeah, well, Bean prefers vegetables.” 

The back-and-forth argument between the married couple went on, but all Armin could think about was how he really should have gone back to headquarters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Thank you for reading!
> 
> I do apologize for the lengthy gap between chapters. It's not that I want to stop writing, but it's just that I'm currently not motivated to write. I really appreciate every kudos that I get, but reviews really keep me enthusiastic. They let me know what you guys like and dislike, which helps me shape the outcome of the story. If it isn't too much to ask, may I ask you to leave a review (if you want to). It could be about what you like, or what you dislike about the story.
> 
> I mean, I have the story plotted out, but it feels empty without any of your input. (Only one person keeps giving me their input, and I loved their idea so much that I'm making it into the next chapter). <3 Idk, maybe it's just me, but... in Taylor Swift's words... "I've never heard silence quite this loud". Ahahaha. I am such a nerd.
> 
> But I'll see all of you in the next one. Sorry if I even brought this up. I really am appreciative of every kudos and every hit count I get. <3


	36. Chapter 36

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is for Alex. For putting up with all the emotionally traumatizing plot ideas that I always throw her way, and for always leaving bomb-ass reviews. <3 Thank you.

(Y/n) was tired. **So tired**.

Her entire body ached so badly, that she reckoned she was more of a walking ball of tiredness rather than a human being. Not only did her joints ache, but her breasts also hurt. Even sex with Levi wasn’t enough to take her mind off of the pains that plagued her.

It was as if (Y/n) had jumped right into her geriatric stages, at only twenty-eight years old; almost twenty-nine.

Still, her personal feelings weren’t enough to hinder her with regards to her research. At the rate she was going, she would be in the running for the Survey Corps’ most under rested people. And it was safe to say that her husband didn’t like that at all.

He didn’t even have to say anything, the (L/n) heiress could tell just how badly her exerted effort was worrying him. But she had no choice in the matter; they were working within an unknown timeframe, and it was better to have things go at a faster rate sooner, rather than later.

It was also evident to (Y/n) how, when they were within the confines of their bedroom, her husband would drop his cold façade and let his melancholy become apparent on his face. Ever since Erwin’s death, Levi had seemed a bit lost; as if some sort of purpose had been taken away from him.

He hid it well from the others, but he could never hide it from her; not that he even tried to. Yet, she never called him out on it. Instead, she would just walk up to him and cup his cheek affectionately, to remind him that she would always be there for him. But she also knew that a wife was different from a Commander; especially someone who took him from the Underground and gave him a renewed purpose in life.

Levi had been grateful to him, and treated him as a brother of sorts; so, she knew how badly he was hurting, even though she hadn’t really been close to Erwin. In fact, she felt grateful to him for bringing Levi into her life, but she couldn’t say that she was as torn up about his passing as her husband was.

(Y/n) understood wholeheartedly that there was a void in her husband’s heart that even she couldn’t fill. She knew Levi to be resilient, so she trusted that it would heal over in time. All he needed was time, but if she could, she would take all his pain away from him.

“I made tea for you, Levi,” The (L/n) heiress announced as she closed the office door behind herself. Gingerly, she balanced the tray in her left hand, as she walked towards her husband’s table.

The Corporal was about to get up from his seat to help her but, with her free hand on his shoulder, (Y/n) pushed him back down. “Sit.”

“I’m not a dog, (Y/n).”

“I know. You’re my husband.” The woman smirked, but paid no mind to Levi’s narrow-eyed gaze. She merely set the tray down by the edge of his table, then moved to serve him his well-needed tea. “Now drink.”

Grey eyes watched her skeptically, but she ignored the funny look as she stood behind the Corporal’s chair and began to knead his shoulders. Both of them said nothing, but it was evident to the brunette that her husband had already begun to relax, because the tenseness in his shoulders had lessened.

Not to mention the fact that he had also started taking small sips of his Jasmine tea; eventually setting the tea cup down on the saucer and leaning his tired body against the back of his chair.

(Y/n) didn’t know how many times Levi had comforted her like this, when she was the one who was feeling lost. And now, it was her turn to reciprocate those actions; not because she felt that she had to, but because she wanted to help ease Levi’s pain. She wasn’t assuming a gender role as his wife, but doing it out of her immense love for him.

“I love you, Levi. So, so much.” Her words were barely above a whisper, but the Corporal heard them clearly in the silent room. His heart clenched tightly in his chest, as his eyes closed themselves of their own accord. It still amazed him just how much those few words could lessen the burden that he felt on his shoulders.

And slowly, he felt his wife’s warm lips lightly press against the crown of his head, just as her hands cupped his face and tilted his face up towards her. He had no qualms with what she intended, so Levi melted into her touch and let himself enjoy the light fluttering of her lips against his skin; from his forehead, his closed eyes, his cheeks, the tip of his nose, and finally his lips. Every press of her lips against him was a soothing balm to his battered soul.

“I’ll always be here for you, my love.” (Y/n) whispered softly against Levi’s lips, before trailing a line of butterfly kisses up to his forehead.

No matter how hard he tried, Levi couldn’t tamp down the heaviness that bloomed from his chest and steadily consumed his entire system. His bottom lip was already quivering, so he bit down on it to have some semblance of control over his emotions.

Unfortunately, the sob that he had been trying to hold back slipped past his lips and, slowly, his tears escaped from his closed eyes. They rolled down the sides of his face and left sticky trails down to his neck, but he didn’t bother swiping at them— as only more tears replaced the ones that had already disappeared.

(Y/n) gently slid her hands down towards Levi’s chest, before leaning down further so that she could wrap her arms around his shoulders.

“I’m so tired, (Y/n),” Levi muttered thickly. His heaving sobs were practically wrenching the brunette’s heart out of her chest, with how **tormented** he sounded, but she could do nothing else but listen and hold him. Because they both knew… he needed this.

He needed catharsis as much as— if not more than— a normal man.

“I know, Levi. I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…”

“They’re dead. Erwin’s dead… and I couldn’t even save him.” The Corporal opened his eyes, and what the (L/n) heiress saw in those grey irises of his made her chest tighten up in pain. He looked so grief-stricken, so **guilty** , that it hurt even her. And when he lowered his head, the sight of his bone-white knuckles made him even angrier than he already was. “I couldn’t even give him a proper goodbye.”

For all his talk about choosing the path where he had the least regrets, he actually wished that he could go back to that moment and— at the very least— say goodbye to his good friend. He wanted to thank Erwin for taking him out from the Underground City but, most of all, he wanted to thank him for forcing him to go to that party six years ago. The very party where he had met his wife.

Had it not been for Erwin, who knew how he would have fared through the rest of his life without (Y/n).

“I couldn’t even thank him…”

At that point, (Y/n)’s tears had started rolling down her face. Every so often, she would reach up and wipe her face free of her tears, then she would brush Levi’s hair back with her fingers in an attempt to soothe him. It seemed to work, because his sobs had quieted down into lighter ones; though they still tugged at her heartstrings with every pass from his lips.

“He knew. He knew how grateful we both are to him…”

Erwin might have been a self-serving tyrant, but (Y/n) couldn’t deny that he had been one of the best Commanders that the Survey Corps had ever had. And she understood exactly why her husband felt so tired; he had left such a big role to fill that Hange was struggling to fill that void by herself, so Levi had to step in and run the regiment with her.

And with the added stress of all the looming threats to her life, as well as their baby’s, she could only imagine just how much stress it was adding to his already heavy load.

But she couldn’t just sit back in a protective bubble for the rest of her life. She had to help herself and, more importantly, she had to help **him**.

***

Levi didn’t know what possessed him to do such a thing, but he found himself— hours after he had cried in his wife’s arms— standing in front of the small memorial that they had built for all the fallen soldiers of Shiganshina. 

Hesitantly, he dismounted his horse and tied it to a nearby tree, before going back to stand in front of the small epitaph in the middle of the small clearing. They had placed it near the walls, so that the families of those soldiers could visit something tangible to remember their loved-ones by.

And it appeared to be popular, as there was a well-treaded path that branched off from the main trail, that led to where the Corporal was at that moment.

The stone epitaph was already starting to look a bit worn, but it was obvious that people maintained the thing— as well as the area— as much as they could. The secluded clearing was tidied up, with the beginnings of a flower bed bordering the northern edge of the place. While, at the base of the memento, sat a few personal effects— as well as a few letters— that were left for the deceased.

With a sigh, Levi crouched down and dusted off a small section of the base of the epitaph, before sitting down against it. Call him sacrilegious, or blasphemous, but there was no way he was going to sit on the damp ground.

He contemplated removing his 3DMG, but thought against it when he realized that it was better to be safe than sorry. It was uncomfortable, but he didn’t plan on staying for too long; (Y/n) was going to look for him sooner or later, and he would rather not worry her by telling her that he went beyond the walls without any sort of weapon.

He also would rather **not** have her tear into all of the soldiers while looking for him. It wasn’t in her nature to be sharp-tongued with people who weren’t her brothers, but her pregnancy hormones were making her a bit snappier as of late.

Gingerly, he reached into his jacket’s inner pocket and fished out the cookies that he had pilfered from his wife’s stash at the very bottom of one of her storage trunks. He then unwrapped them from the handkerchief he had stowed them in, before setting the treats down beside him.

“Those are for you, Erwin.” The words passed Levi’s lips uncertainly, as he felt mildly awkward about hashing his thoughts out to an inanimate object. He never would have done something so awkward, but he had seen his wife do it on more than one occasion; all with that dog collar that he had seen at her desk in the infirmary.

She would hold it so gently, and stroke the worn material of the collar so lovingly that he couldn’t find it in himself to comment on how odd it looked to him. But, one time, he was saved from having to seek an explanation as to why (Y/n) did that, when she offered one herself.

 _‘It helps me accept the fact that Lulu’s gone,’_ His wife had admitted with a watery smile. _‘While letting her spirit know that I still cherish her, and our memories together.’_

He had to leave it to his wife to have the most sentimental ways to cope in existence.

“I would have brought more, but (Y/n) would have my head for that.” His second slew of words sounded more natural— as if he really was addressing Erwin— so he adopted a laxer pose; by perching his arms against his knees, and leaning his head back against the stone epitaph.

“She’s pregnant, you know?” Levi offered with a hollow laugh, as his words were carried away by the wind. “Who’d have thought that I would ever have all of this? A wife… a brat of my own… I guess I’m one of the lucky ones.”

Silence rang loud and clear in Levi’s ears— almost as if an annoying white noise in his ears— until the wind picked up once more, and made the leaves rustle up in the canopy.

“And I have you to thank for that… my friend.” He had meant to use a better term, but that was the best that he could muster up at that moment without sounding cringe worthy even to his own ears.

Levi had no doubt though, that if (Y/n) were there, she would be more than proud of him. And maybe— just **maybe** — his wife was right about this coping method. It helped, but not as much as her gentle touch and encouraging words did.

“Your death won’t be in vain, Erwin. I swear to that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, hello! Oh my gosh, thank you so much for the comments after my request!!!! They made me so happy, I can't even begin to describe how I felt. It was just so overwhelmingly... joyous. <3 Thank you!!!! <3


	37. Chapter 37

“We’ll get a high price from Lady (L/N) for this.” A man with flaxen hair muttered under his breath, as he huddled closer to his companion. He rubbed his hands together, in what could only be described as a lascivious manner, before chuckling darkly. 

The greed wafted off of his person so strongly, that a man a mile away could probably have felt it. And it would have reached well beyond that, had it not been for the heavy hand that had clapped him on the shoulder; which effectively cut his moment short.

He and his friend were about to make a run for it when they saw the familiar insignia of the Wings of Freedom, but their supposed path had been blocked by none other than Levi himself.

“What business do you have with my wife?” The Corporal growled at the pair of men before him. His eyes narrowed at the flaxen-haired one, before flitting over to the blond one.

At that point, he didn’t even care if people would pester him about his and (Y/n)’s marriage. In fact, he reckoned that it would be better if **everyone** knew, as it would warn everyone not to mess with her in any way— or they would have to answer to him.

“C-Captain Levi! Y-your wife? Lady Yuliana is your…” The blond stammered out, which made Levi scoff.

He could feel the embarrassment bubbling up at the pit of his stomach, but he refused to let it show on his face. Instead, he covered it up with a scoff and an even nastier glare. “Bring them in for questioning, Jean, Connie.”

What had been a trip to the market to get a couple of supplies had immediately turned into something much more eventful. Who’d have thought?

***

“Have you seen Levi?” The aforementioned man’s ears perked up at the sound of his wife’s voice, and he cast a look over at the closed door of the interrogation room as he debated whether to let her in or not. After all, the matter a hand had to do with her mother.

That, and she could just pinch the bastards strapped down to chairs into confessing.

A cross between a snort and a chuckle passed his lips at the thought, before he walked towards the door and put a hand on the knob. He was just about to open it, when (Y/n)’s much angrier tone rang clear through the wood.

“Where is he, Jean? I **know** that you know.”

“I’m here,” Levi announced just in time to save his soldier from his wife’s wrath. Normally, she was very patient with everyone, but lately she had been having such severe mood swings that most of the soldiers tried to steer clear of her.

Some even forewent going to the infirmary if they could help it.

Though, no one held her mercurial mood swings against her. After Hange’s outburst in the mess hall, everyone knew to give (Y/n) a wide berth because of her pregnancy hormones. It wasn’t that she had a tight leash on her emotions at the moment, and everyone understood that. Besides, it was either they were patient with her, or Levi would have all of them hung up by their toes in the courtyard.

The moment that (Y/n) laid eyes on her husband, her bad mood instantly vanished. Jean wantedso badly to comment on it, but he bit down on his tongue before averting his gaze towards a window. He knew that he should have already gotten used to the sole married couple within the corps, but the very sight of them together made him uneasy.

It was just odd for him to see his short-tempered and foul-mouthed Captain become all soft and affectionate around his wife. He didn’t know how Sasha and Connie put up with them, since they were the ones most often assigned to clean the infirmary.

It was true that they got some good treats from being with the (L/n) heiress, but he didn’t exactly envy them or anything. In fact, he pitied them for having to put up with such sickly sweet displays of affection between the married couple.

“Hello, my love,” (Y/n) chirped with a warm smile, before moving forward and cupping Levi’s left cheek in her right hand. “Are you busy? I was wondering if you wanted to go for a walk; it’s such a nice day out…”

“Maybe later, (Y/n),” The raven-haired man answered, just as he brought a hand up and placed it over his wife’s hand against his face. His fingers curled over her own, then pulled them down so that he could press his lips to the pads of her fingers. “For now, I have something that you should know about.”

(Y/n)’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion, but she said nothing as she let Levi lead her into what she knew as the interrogation chamber. She had never been in there, and she’d always wanted to see what it was like inside, so she took in her fill of the room…

Only to be disappointed, because it looked like a normal room that was devoid of any furniture. She expected, at the very least, for there to have been chairs bolted to the floor; but no, the entire room was barren, save for the two men that were tied up to wooden chairs in the middle of the emptiness.

Blue eyes narrowed at the two men, as the (L/n) heiress tried to figure out why they seemed so familiar to her. And the longer that she stared at those two, the more that she confirmed her suspicions… “I’ve seen you two before…”

It was true that the pair before her were familiar, as they had been a constant fixture within the guards in the upper echelons of her home country, but they were more well-known to her as the soldiers who had been caught exploiting the families that were supposed to be under their care.

So much private information had made their way into the newspapers, which brought down a good number of well-established families. Affairs had been blasted on headlines, embezzlement deals had been exposed, money laundering schemes had been brought into light; and those two had made so much money off of it.

Enough for them to buy a yacht and live in international waters; where they were sure that the Marleyan army would never be able to touch them without breaking treaties.

(Y/n) strode forward, but Levi held out an arm to keep her from getting any closer to their captives. It wasn’t that he was afraid of them hurting her rather, it was the other way around. He knew that his wife couldn’t do **that** much damage to another person, but she would ultimately be hurting her own feelings; because hurting another human being had never been in her nature.

“What’s your purpose for being here?” (Y/n) growled at the men. She knew that the reason why they were at the Survey Corps headquarters in Trost— let alone on Paradis— couldn’t have been good.

“I heard them talking about having something that will fetch a high price from your mother,” Levi explained with a glare at the restrained pair. He scoffed at their bloodied faces, before dismissing them. “They refuse to speak.”

(Y/n)’s eyes took on a worried look as she scanned her husband’s face, before she hesitantly bit her bottom lip. When earlier she had only felt a mild sense of foreboding, at that moment it had suddenly increased tenfold. Her heart was beating so hard in her chest, that she could feel the palpitations in her ears; frantically thrumming and effectively muffling the sounds of the world around her.

“Whatever you’re getting paid,” (Y/n) began. “I will triple it. So speak.”

“What’s ‘yer guarantee, lady?” The flaxen-haired man which— if (Y/n) remembered correctly— was named Noah, taunted with a half-laugh. “Judging by the looks of this place, ‘ye two ain’t got much.”

Levi was **incensed**. He was about to take another swing at the damn bastard, when he felt (Y/n)’s hand on his arm. Instantly, he acquiesced and lowered the limb.

“You should know when to hold your tongue in the presence of nobility, you half-wit,” The brunette shot acidly at Noah. Normally, she would have tried to put a leash on her temper, but she couldn’t take that insult with a grain of salt. It would have been more tolerable had he insulted just her, but to have brought Levi into it was despicable.

“Nobility? On this shoddy island? **You**? Don’t make me laugh, wench.”

That time, Levi couldn’t help it: He reared his arm back and landed a solid punch to the dumb bastard’s face. A few of his teeth rattled to the ground, which made him sneer at the mess. “Don’t talk to my wife like that, shitty bastard.”

“ _Herzogin_ (Y/n) _von und zu_ (L/n),” The woman announced her title with a withering glare pinning Noah and his accomplice down. “ _Landgräfin von Hesse, Freiin von Lux._ Need I enlighten you more?”

If Levi were to be honest, he found the revelation of (Y/n)’s royal titles a bit daunting. He was but a mere common man; who had unsavory origins, no less. He knew that she would never force him to follow her way of life, but he also wasn’t deluded enough to think that he would never have to dabble in that world.

Frankly, it made him uneasy. The thought of having all those titles attached to his own name…

He almost regretted how he had threatened Historia into taking the crown.

“What use are those titles when everyone believes you to be dead?” Noah’s accomplice— Elias, if she remembered correctly— finally spoke up. His words were drawn out into muffled syllables because of his busted lips, but his question reached (Y/n)’s ears clearly.

Her eyes widened in shock, but she immediately schooled her features into a flippant expression, to hide how disturbed she really was about the news. It would stand to good reason that people would think her to have already passed away, what with the lack of personal appearances, but she was sure that her brothers had planned out for her departure to Paradis. 

She knew that she had a body double that was being taken care of greatly back in Marley. That double of hers didn’t have to do much, other than to go out and create the illusion that she was still there and living in the countryside with her mother. Unless…

(Y/n) closed her eyes and shook the morbid thoughts away. She couldn’t jump to conclusions so easily; not until she had some form of evidence concerning her doppelgänger’s death.

“And what use will your life be when I make that boat of yours explode?” The threat came out as menacing as the (L/n) heiress intended, which made the two men’s eyes widen. That boat was their livelihood; without it they would not only be stuck on Paradis, but they would also be out of a means to earn a living.

Not that selling information was a decent way to earn a living.

“Paradis isn’t very big… my husband can send his men out right now to search for it,” She was bluffing, because no one was allowed to venture beyond the marked areas that the Survey Corps had already explored and cleared of titans. “And then you’ll be stuck here forever… as prisoners, no less. Even if you escape, **how** will you get off this island? More importantly, how will you kill the titans when we throw you outside the walls?”

Levi looked over at his wife, seeing the sadness in her eyes despite the haughty smile on her face. At a glance, he was sure that no one would be able to tell just how bothered she was over what their prisoners had revealed, but the longer he looked at her, the more evident it became.

From the way that her fingers shook slightly, to the way that she held her head up higher than usual… her body language told him how fragile (Y/n)’s emotions really were. So, he put a hand on the small of her back and gently rubbed at her skin in soothing circles.

And slowly, her tightly wound body started easing into his touch.

“Now, talk,” Levi taunted. “What’s your business with Yuliana (L/n)? And how did you two get inside the walls?”

“Just tell them already, Noah,” Elias hissed at his partner. Out of the two of them, he seemed to be the one who was so set against being stuck on Paradis. “I don’t want to get eaten by those damn monsters.”

(Y/n) understood at that moment that her mother had bought information off of those men, but she couldn’t fathom exactly **what** kind of information. Because, she regretted to say it, but they had no clue as to where to start with any of their plans to reclaim Marley, while eradicating the Titans for good.

Noah merely scoffed at his partner’s cowardice, which made the other man growl in frustration.

“In his pocket there’s a notebook we stole from the museum in Lux.” Elias practically glared a hole into his companion's jacket, which Levi took as a signal for him to search in there for said notebook.

The flaxen-haired man tried to resist, but a well-aimed hit to his neck knocked him unconscious. And, after that, it didn’t take the Corporal long to find a battered, highly discolored journal resting within the man’s inner pockets.

“We don’t know what’s in there; we can’t understand the writing,” The blond admitted irately. “But it must be important, because we had a lot of bastards chasing us down for that piece of shit. And we got here through the harbor; we were prepared to use the anti-titan weapons we bought, but we didn't encounter any Titans.”

Levi flipped through the journal, only to furrow his eyebrows in confusion. The writing inside seemed to be some sort of foreign language, and since he wasn’t very knowledgeable with those, he handed the notebook over to his wife.

Gingerly, (Y/n) opened the wizened pages, then pursed her lips as she tried to make out some of the familiar characters. They looked to be a mix of Latin, Marleyan, and Eldian characters; but from what the (L/n) heiress could decipher at that moment, she read the words _devil_ , _father_ , and _titans_. Also, after skipping through a few unfamiliar characters, she also picked out her mother’s family name… _von Kleisser_.

Her stomach immediately felt heavy; as if something was warning her about the severe consequences of shedding more light on things.

“Are you alright, (Y/n)?” Levi asked worriedly, as he came over to her and put a hand on her arm.

The action shook the brunette from her single-minded focus, which made her look up at her husband. “I’m fine, Levi. Sorry about that.”

Somehow, Levi didn’t seem to believe that. But he wouldn’t pressure her; he knew she would tell him about it sooner or later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! I finally finished this chapter. Oof.
> 
> I've just been changing the plot around to compensate for new ideas, so things are gonna be a bit slow (like 2-3 days???) Not too sure yet. But I will be responding to your comments real soon. I just have to take a nap first. <3
> 
> Also, comments and suggestions are greatly appreciated. Oh, and I've also been thinking about joining Kinktober? I know I'm already two days behind, but that would still be fun. Would anyone like to read those entries about Levi, if I ever decide to do them??? <3


	38. Chapter 38

**_HAHAHAHAHA._ **

Loud laughter echoed throughout the castle’s cavernous halls, which made Levi flinch as the source of the laughter **wheezed** , before dissolving into more fits of hilarity. He growled under his breath, as he made his way down the corridor in search of the person causing all the ruckus.

The laughter was so loud and joyous that it was infectious; most of the cadets he had passed were chuckling to themselves— all while wondering what the originator could have found so hilarious.

Never in Levi’s life would he have thought that his **wife** would have been the one blasting that infernal laughter. All of a sudden, the irritation that he felt vanished.

As he rounded the corner leading to the medical wing, he could hear the noise becoming louder with every step he took. And once he stood right outside the infirmary, he was sure that it really was coming from inside.

Slowly, he opened the door and stepped inside; only to see (Y/n) and Sasha huddled up together at the former’s desk. A sheet of paper was in the older woman’s hands, and she waved it around with a mirthful expression on her face.

Levi was **just about** to smile, when he noticed what exactly his wife had been holding: the old wanted poster of him from the uprising. And then his irritation came rushing back, as if it had never disappeared.

“I will keep this Levi with me forever,” (Y/n) announced through her laughter, all while she waved the poster at Sasha. “Look at those majestic cheeks. I hope our Bean will have the same ones.”

“Please, Lady (Y/n), no more.” The soldier wheezed as she tried to control her laughter; to no avail, even as she pressed her hands roughly against her mouth.

“(Y/n),” The Corporal called out in a clipped tone, which had the said woman slamming the poster face-down against her table.

The (L/n) heiress bit down on her bottom lip, before offering her husband the sweetest smile she could muster. “Hello, my love. What brings you here?”

Slowly, Levi sauntered towards the desk and plucked the fraying piece of paper from her hands. Sasha, wide-eyed and frozen in her seat, could only let her gaze dart back and forth from the husband and wife pair.

“Where did you get this?” Levi glared down at the abysmal illustration of him.

“We were cleaning and found it lying around,” (Y/n) answered coolly; as coolly as she could while trying to hold back her laughter. The drawing did **not** look like him at all.

And when he held the poster up beside his face, an involuntary snort left the (L/n) heiress’ lips. She tried to snuff her oncoming laughter out by putting one hand over her mouth, then another, but she couldn’t help it. Her laughter fell from her lips in bouts, which Levi did not find interesting in the least.

“I’m so sorry, Levi,” (Y/n) tried to apologize through the tears in her eyes.

Had it been any other person, he would have already punished them long ago, but that was the woman he loved; the same woman who was carrying his child. He couldn’t get mad at her even if he tried. Besides, it did his heart good to see her finally laughing, even if the dark circles beneath her eyes detracted from her mirthful glow.

He almost found himself smiling, when he remembered… “Go run laps until you puke, Braus.”

“No, Levi, please… it was my fault.” The (L/n) heiress tried to reason with her husband; after all, it was her who had been making the other woman laugh like that at her superior.

“Ten laps, and then clean the stables.”

Immediately, Sasha got up from her seat and saluted her Captain. “Yes, sir!”

***

“Are you coming to bed anytime within this century?” The Corporal asked flatly, as he snuck a peek at his wife’s notes. With her cursive and italicized penmanship, he couldn’t understand much from his vantage point, so he gave up trying to read whatever it was that she had been writing.

“I’m not too sure. Maybe in the next one? Could you wait that long?”

Deciding to be cheeky, Levi answered, “I would wait forever for you.”

It had his desired effect, because (Y/n)’s cheeks were lit aflame by a blush, as her wide-eyed gaze turned to look at him over her shoulder. “Who are you and what have you done to my husband?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

With a quirk of her eyebrow, (Y/n) dismissed Levi’s offhanded answer, before closing the wizened notebook in front of her. She reckoned that it really **was** time for bed, if even Levi was making giving her those flowery answers.

“I’m going, I’m going,” She offered with a grin. “Do you want to join me for a shower?”

As tempting as her offer was, the Corporal knew just how tired his wife had been as of late. Emotionally, mentally, and physically she was tired; and he didn’t want to detract more from her energy reserves than was necessary.

His own urges could wait.

“Go shower; I’ll clean up here.”

“You’re free to read my notes, if you want.”

Levi shook his head. “I’d rather have you tell me about them.”

(Y/n)’s heart felt so warm in her chest, that she couldn’t resist pulling Levi down by his night shirt to press her lips against his. “Alright. I’ll see you in bed.”

***

The inky darkness of the night made it hard to see anything. There were no stars up in the sky, nor did the moon make an appearance that night; instead, the sky was nothing but a black, seemingly-endless mass above them.

Yet (Y/n) wasn’t bothered at all.

How could she have been, when her husband’s strong arms were wrapped snugly around her while they laid in their bed. As usual, her right leg was thrown over his lap, while her head rested against his chest. It seemed like any other night for the couple, aside from the all-important matter that they were discussing.

“It is a _von Kleisser_ ’s journal; that much I’m sure of,” The (L/n) heiress admitted with a quiet sigh. As much as she tried to uncover the encrypted journal that one of her ancestors had left for her, she couldn’t get through it fast enough. Said ancestor had made it extremely difficult for— dare she say it— people with average intelligence to even understand a single word.

The entire journal was a mishmash of characters; it was a translator’s worst nightmare, what with some sentences even having as many as five different languages making it up. The upside, though, was that (Y/n) was well-versed in three of those languages; namely: Latin, Marleyan, and Eldian. The other two, she wasn’t very familiar with, as both of them were different Eldian dialects.

Luckily for her, Hange had books about said dialects, which she had started using as references.

Whomever that ancestor of hers was, was a real asshole for making her suffer.

“They’re talking about origins of the _von Kleisser_ s,” the brunette continued, whilst letting her index finger doodle nonsensical patterns over her husband’s clothed abdomen. “How they used to be a peaceful kingdom before the Eldians came and usurped everything. They lived in fear of the first King Fritz, because he had colossal monsters in his arsenal.

“They were slaves in their own kingdom; until they took it too far and… made a public spectacle of beheading the Leon VI— the Marleyan king at that time.” (Y/n) swallowed past the sudden lump in her throat, as she tried to wrap her head around the information that she was recalling. It didn’t seem like such big news to her earlier, but now that she had the chance to fully absorb everything, she felt a numbing chill settle into her bones.

Levi felt his wife tense against him, which made him pull her closer, whilst rubbing her right arm to ward off the goosebumps along her skin. He then pressed his lips to the crown of her head, as an indication of his silent encouragement.

It felt like years before (Y/n) could tamp down the myriad of feelings that had unsettled her. Even she wasn’t sure about what she felt, because there were no clear lines that separated her emotions. Fear, shame, disgust, and even a sliver of awe churned in the deepest pits of her stomach.

“His wife— Queen Sabine— was enraged, and swore to avenge her husband’s death.” Once more, (Y/n) swallowed past the thickness in her throat, then wetted her lips before continuing, “She made a deal with the _Devil of All Earth_ — the same devil that Ymir had gotten her Titan powers from. It said that if she bore him a child, the child would have the blood that will permanently eradicate the titans. She threatened to take out every single one of the nine Titans, so King Fritz had no choice but to retreat to Paradis to preserve what Titans he **did** have.”

“You seem so bothered by it. Do you want to tell me why?” The Corporal asked softly, while his fingers began to gently run through his wife’s silky, brown hair. Every so often, her big curls would wrap around his fingers, so he had to stop and untangle the digits from her locks. And, in the back of his mind, he couldn’t help but wish for their child to have those same bouncy curls as hers.

“I’m just… overwhelmed. It’s a lot to take in.” Silence rang loud and clear between both of them, as Levi waited patiently for (Y/n) to tell her the real reason why she had been so bothered. “And… I’m disgusted, because to **know** that I have a demon’s blood running through my veins…”

Initially, she didn’t want to tell Levi about being the great-great-great granddaughter of the **_Demon of All Earth_** , as she feared that he would be repulsed by her origins, but it was Levi that she was talking to. Of all people, he would be the one who wouldn’t even bat an eyelid at her origins. 

She could be half cow, and he wouldn’t have even said anything about it.

Who was she fooling? He would spout distasteful wisecracks about her supposed dairy-laden half.

(Y/n) expected a whole armada of possible replies, but she didn’t expect him to chuckle and pat her head like an errant child. “Then that just makes you a real spawn of the devil. I don’t see what’s so horrible about that.”

She was rendered speechless by that response, and as she floundered around to come up with an equally witty answer, he beat her to it.

“Do you have any elven cousins that I should be aware of?”

“Shut up, Levi!” (Y/n) squeaked indignantly. A blush warmed her cheeks, which she hid by burying her face against her husband’s chest. She would never tell him, so as not to embarrass him, but she really appreciated his humorous response to her dilemma.

Not only did it reassure her that he would never give up on her, but it also bolstered her heart to keep on fighting. Though not physically; but mentally and emotionally, she vowed to keep on with the war against her own people.

***

For once, a rare morning happened upon (Y/n); a morning where she wasn’t woken up by the incessant chanting of soldiers doing their morning run, and a morning where she didn’t wake up hugging the life out of her husband’s pillow 

Instead, she opened her eyes to a tranquil happenstance, where she was hugging the life out of her husband. 

Said husband groaned beneath her, as she shifted her weight to fully straddle his hips. Slowly, she gyrated her clothed crotch against his still-flaccid cock. “Good morning, my love. Wake up.”

“Not now, (Y/n).” Almost as if by some horrible dream, (Y/n) saw Levi blatantly reject her advances by throwing an arm over his eyes. And rapidly, she blinked to confirm that what she was seeing wasn’t her mind playing tricks on her.

Levi **really** wasn’t in the mood for sex.

So, with a huff, she grabbed her own pillow and smacked him in the head with it. “You bastard!”

“What did I do now?” The Corporal removed his arm from his face and glared up at his wife. 

“Who the hell turns down morning sex? Is erectile dysfunction suddenly kicking in, is that it?”

Abruptly, the raven-haired man tugged his wife down and locked his arms around her waist to hold her above him. He had wanted to wait until after breakfast to ravage her— since all the cadets had the day off— but he couldn’t let that jab at him slide.

“Shut the fuck up and suck my cock.”

Any other woman would have been affronted, especially women with a noble upbringing, but not (Y/n). Instead, a catty smile played at her lips after she pulled away from Levi. “With pleasure, **Captain Levi**.”

Safe to say that they didn’t emerge from their bedroom until lunch time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, hello! Thank you for reading, everyone! Hope you guys liked the back story about why the reader's blood can be used to take out titans.
> 
> So... I've been fairly active on [Tumblr](https://dudeandduchess.tumblr.com) once more (and I even made a [mood board](https://dudeandduchess.tumblr.com/post/188145745211/the-last-thing-on-her-mind-was-seeing-him-again) for this story), so if you're up for checking that out, please feel free to do so. <3


	39. Chapter 39

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Really important note at the end. Please read.

The passing weeks had been undeniably boring for (Y/n); so boring and monotonous that she had taken to memorizing her routine: translate the journal while working in the infirmary, sleep, make sure that the little Bean is alright, translate some more, and then have dinner with Levi before turning in for the night.

Her only reprieve from her routine were the odd weekends— where she was permitted to further her research— that she spent in that cabin an hour away from Trost.

It would have been fine, had the journal in her possession not been giving her quite the headache the further she got into its contents. Whomever had written it surely didn’t want just **anyone** to understand their journal’s entries; understandably so, since the deeper she was entrenched in the notebook’s pages, the more interesting that the articles became.

Now, all of those _‘traditional’_ lessons that her mother had imposed on her from childhood were starting to come into play. Initially, she had tried to weasel her way out of her foreign language classes, but Yuliana had been adamant. The older woman had reasoned that even she had to go through it, and so did her children.

She had already transcribed an armada of topics, ranging from the _von Kleisser_ clan’s origins, to the supposed traditions that her family was supposed to do. One of those traditions involved a string of sacrificial ceremonies— which they will continue to do **without**.

There really was no sense in wasting good resources for something that she hadn’t been aware of before. (Y/n) didn’t see the practicality in fully embracing the _von Kleisser_ clan’s way of life, when things were very different from the olden days. Of course, she was open to learning from them and adopting a few of their level-headed ideas— like their perception of maintaining peace with the rest of the countries in the world.

One entry had even stated a simple premonition: that their ideal of a leading a peaceful kingdom will not be accepted wholeheartedly by others; and that it could be the reason for their downfall.

So the owner of the journal either **knew** or, at the very least, had an inkling about the possible outcome of wanting to impose their Utopia upon Marley.

“(Y/n), it’s time for lunch,” Levi announced softly, as he strode towards his wife to plant a kiss against her forehead. As was his recent habit, he reached down and caressed the obvious baby bump on his wife’s abdomen. “Time to feed the brat.”

A scowl briefly crossed (Y/n)’s features, before she curled her lips in distaste. “I told you not to call the Bean that.”

Levi had been through that discussion way too many times and, frankly, he was getting tired of it. He knew that it was just her hormones making her snappy— **even with him** — so he always let her reactions slide. “I know. I’m sorry; force of habit.”

At that point, he had become used to apologizing so much that the word had begun to pass his lips with more ease. With her always being in a constant mercurial mood, the safest route was to **always** apologize: he was always in the wrong, even when he wasn’t.

Like that time when she got mad at him for transferring their laundry basket to another corner of the bathroom, since she always kept bumping into it. He didn’t even want to dwell on the angry tears that she had shed.

 **TEARS.** Over a damn laundry basket.

Thankfully, there hadn’t been anymore tears as of late.

“Forgiven,” (Y/n) answered softly, as she held her hands out to him; a signal for him to help her up and out of her chair. “Help me up, please?”

Willingly, Levi clasped his wife’s hands in his own and tugged her up. When she was on her feet, she gave him a grateful smile, before leaning in to press a kiss against his lips. Sometimes— most of the time, really— he found it better to accept things as they were; not questioning anything she did made his life more peaceful, so he made a point to never dwell on (Y/n)’s mood swings. **Ever**.

“Do you want anything from the market? I’ll be going out later to get some supplies,” The Corporal asked flatly, while he placed his hand at the small of (Y/n)’s back to guide her down to the mess hall.

The brunette pondered upon the question, as her hands instinctively made their way to her baby bump. And slowly, she started rubbing her hands in small circles over her shirt. “Well… if you see any peppermint sticks, I would really like those. And more pillows.”

“We already have enough.” Levi answered flatly, just as (Y/n) threw him a narrow-eyed glare. The look didn’t unnerve him, per se; rather, it was the fuming intent behind it that served to flay his conscience alive.

So, he found himself sighing, before nodding. “Alright. How many do you want?”

At that point, they were going to blow all of their savings on pillows.

***

“I don’t really know, but visionaries are often con artists looking to make a quick earning,” (Y/n) said, as she walked down the headquarters’ dank hallway. With Sasha right beside her, munching on the cookies she had given her earlier, it didn’t seem as gloomy as it usually did. Then again, the reason why Levi went into town was to get new cleaning supplies to clean the hallways; everything had become so dirty as of late, because he had been too busy with meetings and such to pay attention to cleaning headquarters.

“So I shouldn’t believe the man outside saying that the end is coming?” The younger woman asked through a mouthful of cookies. 

(Y/n) laughed lightly, then shrugged. “Take it with a grain of salt, Sasha. Honestly, you should hear what Levi says about those self-proclaimed prophets.”

“Does the captain not… censor himself around you?” At that point, the pair’s relationship had progressed more than merely soldier and superior’s wife, as Levi always gave Sasha cleaning duty in the infirmary. At first, Sasha had been gentle and polite with (Y/n), but they were past that stage; they were friendly enough to exchange casual conversation.

As evidenced by that incident where Levi had caught them laughing at his old wanted poster.

“Levi? No.” The (L/n) heiress grinned, before turning the corner to the medical wing. Beside her, Sasha popped another cookie into her mouth and followed (Y/n), nonetheless. “He doesn’t call me a brat, or cuss me out, but he doesn’t censor himself around me. I find his shit-based jokes and scathing one-liners to be very amusing.”

“Who fell first? You or him?”

The surprised expression on (Y/n)’s face must have been misconstrued as appalment, because Sasha immediately backtracked. “Was that too forward? I’m so sorry!”

At that, an unladylike chuckle passed through the older woman’s lips. “It’s fine, Sasha. I was just surprised, because I never really thought about it. But… I guess that would be me. I was the one who slipped and told him that I loved him first; if we’re going by that basis.”

“We always thought that it was the Captain who cracked first.” The soldier returned her grin. “Because of the way he becomes a... different person with you. He’s softer… much more approachable.”

Unbidden, (Y/n)’s grin tapered down into a gentle smile. It was no secret that Levi loved her a lot, but to know that she had such an effect so obvious that even his squad members felt it… well, it made her heart feel all out of sorts; it was practically jumping in her chest.

She was just about to answer, when she noticed that something was tacked on to the infirmary’s closed doors.

Immediately, Sasha pocketed the cookies in her hands, then silently beckoned (Y/n) to stay put— while she crept towards the brown envelope attached to the doors. She looked around to see any suspects, but found none. Not even something to clue them in to who the person that left the letter could be.

“We should stay in your room, Lady (Y/n), until the Captain gets back.” Sasha quickly got the letter, before ushering her charge back down where they came from.

***

When Levi went out to get more supplies, he never thought that he would come back to the remainder of his squad, as well as Hange, standing guard around his wife. Then again, he didn’t even expect to be summoned back to HQ by a frantic cadet.

His movements were brisk and shaky as he crossed the room and gathered (Y/n) in his arms. Her face was stained with tears, and her eyes had a haunted look in them; a look that he wanted to take away instantaneously.

Slowly, her arms wrapped themselves around him; hands clutching at the back of his jacket, while she pressed her face into the crook of his neck. “T-they have him, Levi. They have my father.”

Grey eyes scanned the other occupants of the room, only to see them looking at his wife with worry evident on their expressions. Then, his eyes landed on the items scattered on top of his previously neat desk, and his blood boiled when he saw the signature that was written at the end of the open letter.

He was going to **kill** Greta, once he got his hands on her.

“Did you scan the perimeter for whomever could have left this shitty letter?” Levi snapped, even has his right hand went up to gently smooth down his wife’s hair. “Hange?”

“I already instructed the scouts to look for any suspicious persons, but they found none. Whomever left that did it cleanly; no trace left behind. Not even a smudge of gravel at the bottom of their shoe,” The Commander answered with a regretful shake of her head.

Levi could feel his blood boiling and overflowing with anger at that point. But, instead of lashing out at his allies, he settled for picking up the damn letter on his desk— only to grit his teeth when he found the bloodied ring beneath the sheet of parchment.

Once more, he leveled a glare at his squad members, and Hange, before reading the letter in his left hand.

> _My Queen (Y/n),_
> 
> _Congratulations on your pregnancy. Please send the Corporal my regards. I have always been an advocate of your relationship, and this bodes well for the future that I had in mind for you._
> 
> _As much as I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but my superiors have found it necessary for me to inform you that they have Lord Arvid. At the moment, he is being treated well, but who is to say that they won’t start torturing him for information?_
> 
> _He refuses to speak, so I fear that my superiors will begin the process soon._
> 
> _Unfortunate, but necessary._
> 
> _Unless you will comply with our terms. It is a fairly simple ordeal: we want you. More specifically, we need your blood to end the reign of the Titans._
> 
> _If you agree to our terms, meet us at the harbor two days from now. Do not bring any soldiers, as we will know of this immediately. The Marleyan Warriors believe that the solution is the eradication of all Eldians, but my superiors think otherwise._
> 
> _We **know** that the answer is you, my Queen._
> 
> _It would be unfortunate to lose more of your family members, would it not? This time he won’t be as lucky as your brothers have been._
> 
> _Your Adoring Subject,  
> _ _Greta_

Levi conceded that as soon as he got his hands on that bitch, he wouldn’t give her the pleasure of a quick demise. He would prolong her torture, until she started **begging** for death.

“Get Yuliana (L/n) and her sons. Be sure to escort them discreetly. They have eyes all over this place.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! Thank you for reading! I apologize for the lengthy wait.
> 
> Unfortunately, I have been in and out of the hospital as of late. I was rushed to the emergency room two days ago because of severe pains, and just today I was diagnosed with Hydronephrosis. I still have to consult a Nephrologist to know that exactly is obstructing my left kidney (it's not stones or scar tissue), but I'll find out soon. I'm just praying that it's not another ovarian cyst, because I already had my right ovary removed just last year.
> 
> Undergoing another surgery like that would require lots of bed rest (it took 6 months before I could even start lifting groceries). So, I hope you guys understand why updates won't be as frequent as before. I see lots of hospital visits in my immediate future.
> 
> Please just be patient; I still have my heart set on finishing this story. <3 I appreciate all the comments and suggestions, kudos, and read count that I have had so far! <3 Thank you!


	40. Chapter 40

It felt like ten thousand hours had passed for (Y/n). Her eyes were already puffy from having cried so much, and the area around them were raw from her incessant wiping. Still, Levi held her to his chest; letting her vent her emotions out to him.

Because he knew his wife, and he knew her well: she had the softest heart and the shallowest tears in existence.

(Y/n) was tough, and could jump over any hurdle thrown her way, but she would always pick herself up after letting her emotions out. It was simply her way of accepting things and, while most people called her a crybaby behind her back, Levi admired her for her openness with her emotions.

Very few people would have the courage to show their innermost feelings in a room full of people; but not (Y/n).

“I’m sorry for crying so much,” The (L/n) heiress mumbled hoarsely through her dissipating tears.

In response, her husband merely cupped the back of her head tenderly, before pressing a kiss against the top of her head. She never had to apologize to him for being herself, were the words that he wanted to say, but remained on the tip of his tongue as his eyes took in the people who were not-so-discreetly trying to avert their gazes.

With the palpable threat of spies at Headquarters, Levi and Hange took no chances: they immediately sent Levi and (Y/n) to the secluded outpost— where the latter had been doing her experiments— along with Sasha, and Armin. To have sent the entire Levi squad with them would have aroused too much suspicion from the spies, so they did without the added security.

Jean had been dispatched hours before to fetch Levi’s in-laws, and they had yet to see any indication of their arrival. While Hange and the rest of the Levi Squad were left behind at Trost to serve as reconnaissance in the shit-storm that was about to ensue.

“Armin, you’ll take first watch, then Sasha at dawn, and then me in the morning,” The Corporal instructed his squad members, with a brief look in their general direction. Both scouts nodded, while still trying to give their captain’s wife some semblance of privacy.

“Your eyes are already raw from wiping your tears, (Y/n),” Levi mused softly, as he put his wife at arms’ length. “Your skin’s gonna look like shit later, if you keep that up.”

Contrary to his words though, he found himself cupping her face and gently kissing the remnants of her tears away. She looked so vulnerable and heartbroken that it was starting to take its toll on him. He couldn’t bear to see his wife so sad; not when all that he wanted was for her to be happy with him.

It was true that Levi couldn’t even begin to fathom the gravity of her emotions— when the only father figure he had ever known was Kenny— but he could empathize enough with (Y/n) to understand why she still kept crying for her father. There was a bond there that he would never know, sadly.

The question of whether his and (Y/n)’s children would cry for him like that briefly crossed his mind, only to be shaken away. He didn’t want to linger on those thoughts **now**.

“Have some water, Lady (Y/n),” Sasha offered quietly, as Armin held out a full glass of water to the older brunette.

Gingerly, (Y/n) reached up and accepted the proffered drink, with a grateful look at her husband’s squad members. Had it not been for them, she would have already gone off the deep end of hysteria; as they had kept her sane while they waited for Levi to arrive.

If they hadn’t stepped in and comforted her— kept her company while offering their wordless support— she would have already done something stupid, like gone after Greta.

And that wasn’t saying that she still didn’t want to.

***

“Ow, Levi.” A low whine of protest escaped (Y/n)’s lips, as the aforementioned man kept dabbing the soothing balm against the sore spots around her eyes. She grabbed hold on to the Corporal’s right hand, and bit her lower lip as she guided the tip of his index finger higher up against her left eye. 

“We wouldn’t even have to do this if you hadn’t kept rubbing your tears away,” The raven-haired man answered with a sigh, before moving to flick his wife’s forehead.

It was already after dinner, and they were about to settle down for bed, when the (L/n) heiress had started gingerly feeling around her eyes; a clear sign that she was trying to alleviate the stinging pain from the mild abrasions framing those eyes of hers.

“I know. I’m sorry.”

“You never have to apologize for being yourself, (Y/n),” Levi grumbled under his breath, as he lowered his right hand down to the brunette’s lap. Her grip around him tightened even more, which made his lips pull up at the corners for the barest fraction of an inch. “Especially not with me.”

He was used to the warm and affectionate looks from his wife, but the particular look that she was pinning him under at that moment felt… different. It was filled with more affection, in a sense.

And finally, the tiniest of smiles lit up her melancholy features. “You know, my father used to say that I would know if I found the right man for me, when that man won’t make me apologize for being myself. I guess he was right.”

Akin to most of (Y/n)’s words and actions since they met, her spiel made Levi speechless. He floundered around for something to say, but he knew that his effort was all for naught, as a blush crawled up his neck and settled on his cheeks.

“He’s right about most things, you know. You two would get along greatly,” The (L/n) heiress mused, while that faint smile increased into an affectionate one as she regarded her husband. “He’s also a stickler for organization; during Sundays we would stay in his office and organize all of the papers he had in there. Then he’d take me and my brothers out for ice cream— he sometimes even let me drive the automobile.”

The Captain hadn’t the faintest idea of what an automobile was, but he still kept listening to (Y/n) ramble on about all her good memories with her father. If her were being honest, he would admit to feeling happy about the fact that his wife didn’t have the same paternal upbringing that he had.

Yuliana had fucked things up back then, but it did his heart good to know that Arvid— her father— had done well in raising (Y/n).

“People think he’s a very stern man, but he’s the gentlest soul ever. Can you imagine a decorated military officer sitting down and having a fake tea party with his daughter? He even went as far as raising his pinky up, just because I said so.” A laugh bubbled forth from the brunette’s lips, before she immediately quieted down.

Her lower lip trembled with the threat of more tears, so she cast her gaze down to hers and Levi’s intertwined hands; where she then started fiddling with his fingers. Still, the Captain remained quiet as he waited for the continuation to his lover’s monologue.

“I know that I haven’t seen him in so long, but I’m not ready to lose him yet.”

In an encouraging move, Levi placed his left hand on top of (Y/n)’s hands that were clinging on to him. “You won’t. We’ll get him back, alright?”

“I… thank you, Levi.” The sound of relief was already evident in the brunette’s voice, but was made even more apparent when she launched herself at Levi; wrapping her arms around his neck and taking comfort in his warmth.

***

“Are you alright? Is the baby alright? You aren’t hurt, are you?" 

More renditions of the same slew of questions rang throughout the small cabin, as the three other members of the (L/n) family fussed over (Y/n). No matter how hard she tried to shake them off though, she couldn’t.

Had it not been for Levi’s intervention with the letter, her brothers never would have let go of her. Nor would they have stopped pestering her about not telling them about her pregnancy.

“I meant to tell you,” The youngest (L/n) began with a sigh, then added, “But it simply wasn’t the right time.”

“When was the right time, then? When you’re in labor?” Alexei spat sarcastically, as he sat down in the empty seat at the head of the table. With Levi being practically glued to his wife’s side, it left him no other option.

With a roll of her eyes, (Y/n) dismissed her older brother’s questioning, in favor of turning to her mother— who diligently read through Greta’s, admittedly, creepy letter. It was akin to what an obsessed woman would write their paramour. It was honestly unsettling, how she had traipsed through the topic of torture like she had been talking about the weather.

When Yuliana was done reading the letter, she tucked it back into the envelope and noticeably refrained from taking out the blood-stained ring inside. Judging by the way that her expression steeled itself, she didn’t want the item to dredge up memories that would ultimately worry her even more.

She didn’t love her husband as much as she used to, but a small part of her still cared for him. After all, he had been the most important person in her life… once upon a time.

“We’re not giving you to them,” The (L/n) matriarch announced with finality.

“Unarguably, it’s what father would want, as well,” Kristof added through gritted teeth. He didn’t want to let his father be tortured by a bunch of heretics, but he knew his father more than anyone: the old man wouldn’t stand for their decision to offer (Y/n) up for his release.

No matter how hard their father tried to hide it, all three of the (L/n) siblings knew that his favorite was his youngest daughter.

“So we’re just going to let those… those **lunatics** torture father?” (Y/n) screeched in disbelief. Her eyes were narrowed into a glare, while her eyebrows were furrowed to convey the confusion that she felt, but it seemed to her that her family didn’t get the gravity of the situation. “He could **die**.”

“Not trading you for him doesn’t mean that we’re not going to do anything, (Y/n),” Alexei cut in; his tone was flat and serious, which surprised his younger sister. It wasn’t every day that the normally jovial brunet turned serious for anything.

Not even while he handled court cases was he completely unsmiling.

“I agree. We’re not giving you to them, but we have to have to have a plan,” Levi voiced his own thoughts, which made all eyes turn to him.

And so, after much deliberation and so many counter-arguments, their small group had finally agreed on **something**. It wasn’t entirely foolproof, and it depended heavily on Ludwig— whom had yet to know of his involvement in the plan— but it was the best that they could muster.

It was the best outcome; the one with the least number of deaths for their side.

“I’m still not sure about this,” Alexei commented gruffly, as he ran the pad of his index finger along the rim of his tea cup.

From beside Yuliana, Kristof scoffed. “It’s either we follow this plan, or we just throw the towel and accept death with open arms.”

“Would you try to be more morbid, will you?” (Y/n) snapped irately at her brothers, while pinning both of them beneath her glare.

“Says the girl who wanted to sacrifice herself,” Alexei cut in with a roll of his eyes, which effectively earned Levi’s ire. Those grey eyes narrowed at him with murderous intent made him balk and avert his gaze from the Corporal.

The eldest (L/n) sibling had no doubt that, had they been any other species, he would have already prostrated himself in surrender. His brother-in-law truly was a force to be reckoned with.

“Why don’t we all have a warm meal, and turn in for the night? Go and call Levi’s squad members, (Y/n).” Yuliana waved her daughter off, which the younger woman obeyed with a grumbled protest.

And once (Y/n) was out of the room, Levi finally opened his mouth and asked the question that had been burning on the tip of his tongue; ever since they had started talking about his wife’s heretics. “You used to have a maid… Brigitte was her name, if I remember correctly. What happened with her?”

Immediate silence lulled over the table. Not even the sound of breathing could be heard, until Yuliana answered, “We had to… dispose of her. Kristof had discovered where her true loyalties laid, and immediately took her out of the picture.”

“We’re just thankful that (Y/n) hasn’t asked about Brigitte in such a long time; what with all that has been happening,” Kristof added quietly.

Alexei looked over at his twin, before nodding his assent. “We can’t hide it forever, but it’s for the best that she doesn’t know now.”

“I’d always suspected her, which was the reason why I’d called Commander Smith and requested him to take (Y/n) to Trost. It helped that you two were on good terms again, which was why I pushed for things to happen quickly.” Yuliana smiled at Levi. “And I wasn’t wrong in entrusting her to you. Thank you, Levi, for everything you’ve done for my family. We owe you so much.”

Levi’s eyes widened in surprise, before he schooled his expression into a more subdued one. He could feel the oncoming blush rising up, but he refused to let his in-laws see his flustered expression; which was why he turned his head to look outside the window.

Dusk had already fallen over the valley and from his seat, he could see his wife practically waddling up to the outpost tower where Armin and Sasha were at. She cradled her baby bump gently, as if it were the most precious thing in the world, and that didn’t fail to bring a small smile to his lips.

“Everything I’ve done; I’ve done because of her. You don’t owe me anything.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! Thank you for reading!
> 
> And thank you for being patient. I've been feeling better as of late, hence the update (and the Tomioka Giyuu oneshot). I promise to reply to your comments soon, but I really appreciate all the well-wishes! <3 Thank you so much!
> 
> As always, comments and suggestions are highly appreciated. <3


	41. Chapter 41

It felt like Shiganshina all over again.

Only, instead of facing off with Titans and Titan shifters, they were facing off with humans. Actual humans.

(Y/n) didn’t know what was worse: the fact that she felt nothing but fear coursing through her system, or that she was so filled with fear that it had started to numb out her other emotions. Panicked thoughts kept racing through her mind, but Levi’s steady hand on the small of her back gave her some modicum of comfort.

Reassurance that he was there; and that they **had** a plan, as well as a safety net if things went awry.

All she could do then was to have faith in Hange to keep her mother safe. 

“Breathe, (Y/n),” Levi instructed quietly, as they made their way towards the group of heretics that wanted his wife. He didn’t like the plan as much as the next person— and he would have preferred to utilize his squad’s capabilities, but he was forced to leave them behind in Trost to keep up a normal façade.

Their primary task was to incapacitate all of the traitors within their midst, while Hange’s job was to keep his mother-in-law safe in the Titan forest. With the knowledge that all of the Titans inside the walls were already gone, they reckoned that it was the safest place to put the (L/n) matriarch. 

“I can’t, Levi.” (Y/n)’s touch around her baby bump tightened, while her blue eyes sought out the familiar grey ones she had come to love. 

After a well-aimed glare at the man at the helm of the opposing crowd, the Corporal stopped in his tracks and moved to stand in-front of his wife. He didn’t even care that he was putting his back towards their enemies; all that mattered to him was her and their unborn child. 

Gently, almost reverently, he cupped her face in his hands. “You’re going to be fine. We’re going to be fine.”

At the very least, she and their child would be fine. It would be a cold day in hell before he would let those bastards get their hands on her.

Levi’s words didn’t exactly steel (Y/n)’s feelings, but she took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down. And with one more lingering glance at her husband’s eyes, she nodded and turned back towards the heretics that believed she could end the reign of the Titans. 

With every step they took, more and more faces became distinct to them; none that (Y/n) knew personally, fortunately. After Greta’s treachery she didn’t think she could take any more of any of her companions’ duplicitous natures.

And when they were close enough, the man at the helm of the group— seemingly a member of nobility, judging by the look of his clothes, and the meticulous way that his blond hair had been knotted at the back of his head— got down on one knee. 

To the couple’s surprise, the rest of the group followed; prostrating themselves into such vulnerable positions, that it would take Levi no longer than two minutes to dispose of all of them and end their nightmare.

“ _Meine Königin_ ,” The blond greeted. His reverence rang loud and clear in his tone, but it made chills rise up along (Y/n)’s skin; it felt disgusting: oily and thick coming from his mouth. “My name is Henri Weber, Lord Louis van Meervenne’s right hand man. My Lord has been a lifelong believer of yours, as are all of us who belong to your religious order.”

The quiet gasp that left (Y/n)’s lips wasn’t lost on Levi. He threw her a sideways glance, only to find the blatant horror and disgust in her eyes. Her face was barely pulling together a mask of indifference as it was, and his anger towards the bastards in front of them increased ten-fold. 

“Greta sincerely regrets not being here to escort you back to the Homeland, but she had more pressing matters to attend to.” Henri even had the audacity to chuckle, which had Levi gritting his teeth to keep himself from lunging at the slimy fuckhead. “She has proven herself very useful; for watching over you all this time.”

Another chill wracked through the (L/n) heiress’ body, and she tried desperately to swallow back the fear that was consuming her entirety once more. It was so great the second time around, that she had to tamp down the urge to vomit. Still, despite her inner turmoil, she held her indifferent mask in place. “And my father? I was told that you had him.”

It was very minute, but (Y/n) caught the way that Henri’s eyes widened. But, instead of getting flustered, he adopted a jovial smile and was about to get up, when she snapped.

“Did I tell you to get up?” She didn’t think that it would work, but if those people called themselves a **‘religious order’** , then they must have thought that she was some kind of deity. So, that must have meant that she had some power over all them. 

Abruptly, Henri prostrated himself on the ground and shook his head. “No, _Meine Königin_. I’m very sorry!”

The feeling that coursed through (Y/n) at that show of submission was as heady as it was frightening. To think that she held all of those peoples’ lives in her hands… that they would throw themselves at her feet in the blink of an eye… she couldn’t even wrap her head around it. 

“Where is Arvid (L/n)?” Levi asked no one in particular, but his voice rang with the promise of pain, which made some people hunch their shoulders in an effort to make themselves seem smaller. And when no one answered, he repeated in an angrier tone, “ **Where is Arvid (L/n)?** ”

“The Tyburs have him, Master Levi!” Someone within the thicket of worshippers answered, while Levi’s upper lip curled in distaste at the title they had bestowed upon him.

If (Y/n) was feeling merciful and afraid earlier, at that moment she could feel nothing but rage flowing through her veins. The people who currently hugged the ground had **lied** — duped her into coming outside the walls— and she had fallen for it.

Hook, line, and sinker. 

“I do not appreciate being **lied** to, Henri.” (Y/n) snapped angrily, which had Levi wrapping an arm around her to hold her back from lunging at the man before them. And he knew that she would have done it, had he not acted in time.

But before anyone could comprehend what had happened, Henri— from his place on the ground— had pulled out a gun and immediately opened fire… on Levi. He staggered back, trying to get a hold of his wife so he could shield her, but he ended up falling to the ground. 

(Y/n) didn’t know that she could scream so loud, until that moment. 

Her heart pounded inside her chest; so hard and incessant that she could feel it pulsing along with her brain. She tried to focus on keeping herself rational, but all notions of sanity had left her the moment that Levi’s blood had sprayed across her face.

Anger was her sole emotion, as she dove forward and snatched the gun out of Henri’s hands. A well-aimed kick had sealed the deal and made things easier for her, but she had to wince when she felt the sickening crunch of the man’s nose breaking beneath her boot. 

The piping hot barrel burned her palms, but she paid it no mind as she turned the weapon back against its owner. She pulled the hammer back, locking a new bullet into the chamber, as she glared down at the bastard who shot Levi.

(Y/n)’s hands were shaking so badly, but she still held tightly to the revolver in her hands. Her index finger was already poised on the trigger, and no matter how much she wanted to pull it already, the tantamount influence of her conscience weighed down on her. 

In another time, or maybe in another life, she would never have been reduced to wanting to kill a man. But in her current life, she wanted nothing more than to shoot the man before her.

She had been too focused on the bastard before her, that she failed to notice the people behind him steadily rising up and drawing guns of their own. They weren’t aimed at her, but at Levi— who still laid prone on the ground.

His blood was already pooling beneath him, and one panicked glance back at him confirmed (Y/n)’s fears that he was going to die if she didn’t tend to him soon.

“It didn’t have to be this way, _meine Königin_.” Henri tutted quietly, as he got up from the ground. His expression was smug and despicable, which nixed all of (Y/n)’s hesitations.

Without further thought, she pulled the trigger and lodged a bullet deep into the bastard’s knee. Henri collapsed on to the sand, glaring all the while at the woman he had considered a goddess moments before.

“Go rot in hell!” (Y/n) screamed when she saw the flickering light atop the walls that lined the port. “All of you can go rot in hell!”

And with a giant flash of lightning, the (L/n) heiress practically dove towards her husband to cover him from the flying rubble. Her arms shielded his head to the best of her ability, while she pressed her own face against his own as Ludwig transformed into a titan behind the group of heretics. 

Horrified screams echoed in (Y/n)’s ears, but she blocked them out as best as she could. The cries of her supposed title, and the pleas for mercy harped at her conscience, but she ignored them in favor of tending to her husband.

Her fingers were unsteady and frantic as they felt around the bullet wound on Levi’s chest, yet she pressed on; unmindful of the ongoings around her.

Levi’s blood had begun to seep into her pants, which made tears sting the backs of her eyes. “Please don’t leave me, Levi. Please,” She pleaded thickly, all while trying to check his vitals. “Please don’t leave me.”

***

“You have to rest, (Y/n).” Yuliana’s words reached (Y/n), but the younger woman didn’t move a muscle from where she sat next to a slumbering Levi. Her grip on his hand tightened, as her eyes stared blankly outside the window of their room. 

No more tears fell from her eyes, and it was evident from the dried tear tracks that stained her cheeks, that she had long since ceased weeping. At that moment, the need for retaliation consumed her; the need for control overrode her moralities and made her crave the bittersweet taste of revenge. 

Levi had always seemed infallible, but that moment had served as a rude awakening for her. He was also only human; like all of them. He was stronger than most, but he still got injured, and succumbed to illnesses as well. And to have been reminded of that made (Y/n) even more determined to end whatever shit storm they were stuck in.

With a defeated sigh, the (L/n) matriarch stood beside her daughter and gently petted her hair. “He will be fine. After all, you made sure of that… and, from what I know, this husband of yours is a stubborn man. He won’t leave you and your child alone.”

“I just can’t believe that I almost lost him, mother.” 

“But you didn’t. There’s no use on dwelling on the past, when we have the present, (Y/n).”

A small, sad smile lifted the corners of the younger brunette’s lips. “Father used to say that all the time.” 

“And he’ll keep saying it more when we find him,” Yuliana reassured her daughter to the best of her ability, even though she wasn’t even sure if they would even have his body to exhume. “Now, go get some rest-”

Abruptly, the older woman was cut off by her daughter’s arms wrapping tightly around her waist, before pressing her face against her stomach; akin to a child seeking comfort.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! Thank you for reading!
> 
> As always, comments and suggestions are highly appreciated. <3


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